Fenian, Album Launch Show, Livehouse Dundee

Tonight, Irish rap trio, Kneecap vist the Livehouse venue in Dundee to play their new album Fenian, which comes out on May 1st. 

Formed in 2022, Mo Chara, Moglia Bap and DJ Provai have set the music industry on fire with their mix of Irish and English language rap as well as causing a little bit of political controversy along the way.

The band have hit the headlines throughout their musical uprise for their political performances, and as they head to Dundee tonight, it seem the band have caused a debate to wither the band should perform in the city.

For anyone who has been living on a different planet when it comes to Kneecap, here’s a quick run-down.

Kneecap take their name from a play on words, meaning kneecapping. The term means to give a punishment such as a gunshot to the knee and is associated with the Irish parliamentary movement.

DJ Provai, who wears his trademark Irish tricolour balaclava, was sacked from his teaching job after he was uncovered for his role in the band. 

The band has also been caught up in several political confrontations that saw politicians such as Donald Trump, John Swinney, and Kemi Badenoch asking for the trio to be banned from the USA, Scotland and England. 

Kneecap has also been very vocal about

“the ongoing genocide” in Palestine. When performing at Coachella back in 2025, the band caused controversy by displaying anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian messages, which saw Sharon Osborne asking for the bands US work visa to be revoked. 

Arriving at the venue, it was the first time I’d seen vendors selling merchandise in the street for a gig in Dundee. It was armfulls of tri-colour balaclavas doing the rounds as the vendors walked up and down the street, trying to sell them to the crowd before the doors opened at 7 pm.  

I was quite surprised to see the amount of support for the Irish lads as Dundee isn’t really a big Irish/celtic fans base and that’s probably why their was a bit of devide in the city about the bands appearance.  

Once inside the venue, it was the official Fenian merchandise the fans wanted to get their hands on. It was also interesting to see how many of the fans wanted to have their picture taken next to the large Fenian display sign that was lit up on the venue walls. 

The front of the stage was packed with the young fans and I have to say, they all made a big effort on the night as they dressed in the bands traditional tri-colour Balaclava, celtic tops or anything that symbolised the Irish colours. 

Their was no support for the night, just straight into the new album as well as some of the fans’ favourites. 

The band was supposed to be on stage at 8 pm, but it was 8.15 before DJ Provai emerged out of the darkness to greet the fans as he launched a couple of oranges into the crowd. 

The fans were screaming by this time, and when Mo Chara and Moglia Bap entered, this only lifted the decibels in the venue even further. 

The Irish lads kicked the night off with Éire go Deo and right from the off the Dundee fans were right up for a party. 

The bands political messages are always consistent throughout their gigs, and Dundee was no different. 

They know how to connect with their fans, and that’s with humour or political messages, and that theme continued throughout tonight’s gig. 

It was loud chants of Free Palestine, F***k Keir Starmer, “Free Scotland,” and calls also came for a United Ireland during the gig. This just added more noise to the gig as the fans sang their messages right back at the band. 

Moglia also appeared in a Scotland top during the gig, announcing that he will be supporting Scotland in this years World Cup due to Ireland not qualifying. 

This gig was bouncing right from the off, and it never stopped until the last song on the set list. The fans left hearing the new songs along with some of the fans’ favourites.

Set List

Éire go Deo

Smugglers & Scholars

Carnival

Gael Phonics

Occupied 6

Cold at the Top

An Ra

FENIAN

H.O.O.D.

Big Bad Mo

No Comment

Liars Tale

Guilty Conscience

THE RECAP

kneecap, Fenian album launch show Livehouse Dundee. – YouTube