Live Report: The Prodigy turn 3Arena into a gloriously noisy punk-rave

There is no time to catch your breath. It’s 9pm on a Tuesday in the very full grounds of 3Arena, and opener Carl Cox has barely wrapped up his two-hour, three-deck vinyl set. The Prodigy are already making their way onto the stage, soundtracked by the gloriously unruly melody of ‘Omen’.

It takes no time for frontman Maxim, Liam Howlett and their brilliant drummer Leo Crabtree and guitarist Rob Holliday to jump head first into their magnificently intense set, charisma and energy pouring out of them like they were born for the stage. As the fierce melodies and heavy beats of ‘Voodoo People’ echo through the chest of the crowd, they, too, get right into the party atmosphere – in the sitting area, every attendee is standing on their feet, while mosh pits start raging on ‘Poison’.

The Prodigy at 3 Arena on April 28th, 2026. Copyright Jason Doherty/www.hotpress.com

A gig from The Prodigy is, by and large, a physical experience. For an hour and a half, beats and bass resonate through the entire body, vibrating from the soles of the feet to the trachea. As the temperature rises up with every track, it is clear that the sweat, mosh pits and riotous dancing are the most vital elements of the performance.

One could say that this physicality is the trade mark of a good, proper rave – and there is no other way to describe this evening with The Prodigy than a 13,000-people-strong indoor free party. On multiple occasions, as the heaviness makes your ear-drums tremble, you find yourself wondering how this show isn’t happening at 2am in the middle of nowhere instead.

The Prodigy at 3 Arena on April 28th, 2026. Copyright Jason Doherty/www.hotpress.com

For all its unending party atmosphere, the gig also turns out to be an intensely emotional experience, without ever slowing down the tempo. On the noisy chart-topper ‘Firestarter’, the screens show the instantly recognisable silhouette of the late Keith Flint dancing to the tune’s melody, as if to show the audience how it’s done. 7 years after his tragic passing, the band’s performance feels like an enormously appropriate tribute to the 90s punk icon – and most importantly, to their late friend.

There is no doubt in the world that Keith would have wanted us to keep dancing — and dancing we are, atmosphere electric despite the mid-week slot. “As far as I can fucking see,” Maxim adresses his crowd with clear pride, “you guys are out partying on a Tuesday fucking night!”

The Prodigy at 3 Arena on April 28th, 2026. Copyright Jason Doherty/www.hotpress.com

While physicality and sound are at the forefront of the show, the lightworks leave nothing to be desired either. Alternating between blue, red and green beams that seem to take over the whole room, vibrant flickering lights and gorgeously hard hitting footage on the giant stage screens, they give the evening an ethereal, hypnotic quality that make it deliciously disorienting.

In this bright and sweaty environment, it would be easy for any lesser artist to be swallowed by the ambitious stage production. The eyes, however, stay fixated on the band for the whole show, Maxim in absolute control of the room, capable of starting mosh pits by simply pointing a finger.

The Prodigy at 3 Arena on April 28th, 2026. Copyright Jason Doherty/www.hotpress.com

If the seven-songs-long encore is enough to make you dream that the rave will go on forever, all great things must sadly come to an end – and it is with buzzing ears and stomping hearts that the 3Arena crowd leaves the venue tonight.