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It’s perfect that Alexandra Palace, the 10,000-capacity venue that sees Fred Again.. play a four-night mini residency this week, offers one of the most humbling views of London – skyscrapers, intersections, houses and all. All those people, all those lives.
The 30-year-old super-producer’s music, a mix of ambient house and techno through which he weaves voice notes of friends and strangers alike, magically turning their words into anthemic lyrics about community and connection, clearly captured some kind of zeitgeist in the pandemic. Having graduated from producing for the likes of Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora, he’s created something close to his own musical language via his ‘Actual Life’ series of three albums and an EP, the latter of which was released two months into Covid. It’s easy to see why: this is deeply emotional dance music that found its audience at a time when we couldn’t see our loved ones and dancing was out of the question.
So tonight marks a milestone. With precisely 35,246 tickets shifted for the four shows, all of which sold out instantly, it’s as much a belated celebration of being on the other side of that dreadful period as it is of Fred Gibson’s rise. The atmosphere outside Ally Pally seems more like that of a festival than of a Tuesday night gig. Groups of friends wrap their arms around one another for photos in front of that killer view; a snapshot in time.
What follows is an audiovisual experience that combines more homey looking videos with a stunning light show – at one point, the ceiling is illuminated by dangling red bulbs that throb against the darkened venue – and music that shifts between massive and muted.
It turns out those keyrings are intended to cover your iPhone torch. When everyone fires them up it should create, in Fred’s words, “a sea of blue”. Yet that’s not the piece de resistance: this occurs when he disappears among the crowd to reappear at the other end of the venue, where he continues the performance from a podium over which hangs a screen that bathes him in light. It looks like something from Kanye’s ‘The Life of Pablo’ era. The whole thing is often astonishing, though the keyring trick doesn’t quite come off and hushed piano interludes rob the show of its momentum.
Outside, afterwards, looking down across the city, 27-year-old fan Charlotte summons the intimate spirit of the night: “At one point, I closed my eyes and thought I was the only person there for a bit.” 23-year-old Prav, meanwhile, hails the “interactive” elements of the performance that saw Fred move out amongst the crowd – the physical manifestation of the producer’s relationship with his audience. Together they capture the unique way in which Gibson’s music has resonated with people as both a vehicle for connection and a balm for the soul.
Another fan tells NME that Fred’s music is “so personal” and that she heard the first ‘Actual Life’ album after she’d to London from Dublin. “I didn’t know anyone in London,” she says, “and his voice notes… it was like I had a mate over here.”
She then shares a deeply personal story about losing her father during this period and explains that tonight marks her third anniversary in the city. Fred, she says, “got me though a lot of shit”. Before we part, she locks eyes and implores: “If you know him, please tell him thanks so much for helping me get to this place.”
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The closing hours of Reading 2026 have finally arrived. Florence + The Machine brought the rain during ‘Dog Days Are Over’ at The Grid, opening the heavens and leaving the festival site completely soaked. The weary fans who have stayed behind are wet, exhausted and clearly feeling the effects of the weekend. What they need now is one final enormous celebration to make the wait worthwhile.
The Gallery tent comes alive as the speakers blast ‘Favourite’ by Friday’s headliners and fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C., receiving the kind of reaction usually reserved for ‘Mr Brightside’ at a drunken wedding reception. Moments later, Kneecap display their familiar statement accusing Israel of carrying out genocide against the people of Palestine and Lebanon, with support from the UK government. It captures the Belfast rap trio perfectly, combining serious political messages with an unapologetic party atmosphere.
“We use our platform to talk about what we believe is right,” Mo Chara explains during the performance, before recognising those who “aren’t so fucking lucky” and whose voices have been suppressed. He soon encourages the audience to roar “fuck Netanyahu” and “free free Palestine”. Later, he starts a powerful chant of “Aaaaaa-ndy Buuurn-ham’s a waaaaaaan-ker” to the melody of ‘Seven Nation Army’, targeting our new Prime Minister over his claim that “a united Ireland is off the table”. Laughing, he asks: “The BBC won’t broadcast that, or will they?” As it turned out, they did not.
Away from the headlines and the controversy, there is no denying the connection Kneecap have built with their audience. Politics may shape the conversation, but the crowd also came to enjoy themselves, ready for a rave after the rally. The performance begins carefully with the heavy rumble of ‘Smugglers & Scholars’, before exploding during the Grian Chatten collaboration ‘Better Way To Live’ and the threatening energy of ‘Sick In The Head’. “Are ya ready for a mad one?” Mo Chara shouts. The response is already obvious.
The atmosphere becomes increasingly chaotic as the hip hop rhythm of ‘Cold At The Top’ and the hypnotic trance sounds of ‘An Ra’ send the entire tent into motion. The trio jokingly thank the UK for everything it has given Ireland, listing UKIP, fish and chips, a mental health crisis, Jimmy Saville, HP Sauce and Bloody Sunday. However, the show reaches another level once the second half begins. The explosive ‘Sayonara’ brings the ‘beef’ to ‘IBEEFA’, while ‘Get Your Brits Out’ and ‘Guilty Conscience’ give the crowd every reason to obey Móglaí Bap’s demand to “oooopen up the piiiiiit”.
Anyone watching closely may have questioned why the cameras continued to focus on Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara. The pair eventually reveal that they have spent recent weeks performing alongside a “provisional” DJ Próvai. Wearing the familiar tricolour balaclava, the temporary replacement handles his role as the crowd agitator with confidence while their bandmate enjoys some paternity leave. “Some things are more important than music, and that’s family,” they explain. How sweet. Móglaí Bap quickly destroys the tender moment by adding: “As you might know, the Brits took all our potatoes from Ireland; they took all our cocaine,” before declaring, “but we still have all our caaandy.” The group then charge directly into one of the biggest tracks ever written about extremely powerful ketamine.
‘Liar’s Tale’ sparks another huge reaction with its response to Keir Starmer, “genocide armer”, while the group warn that “you’re not getting away with doing nothing”. It is a politically charged message hidden inside an irresistible anthem from musicians who have experienced the “belly of the beast” through the legal system. Their latest album, ‘Fenian’, has helped Kneecap fully embrace the celebration that has always been part of their identity. Their live production now feels capable of filling arenas, blending the intimacy of a late night lock in with the rhythmic force and visual scale of The Chemical Brothers, the reckless electronic punk spirit of The Prodigy, and the fearless political honesty of Public Enemy. The spectacular visuals complete the experience.
Kneecap fans at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Kneecap fans at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Closing with the powerful combination of ‘Fenian’, ‘H.O.O.D.’ and the enormous ‘The Recap’, Kneecap bring our final celebration at Reading to a thrilling conclusion while also finishing their last festival appearance of the summer. “It’s been a pleasure to spend it with you mad c**ts,” Mo Chara says before leaving the stage. The feeling is mutual.
Return to NME here for the newest reports, reviews, photographs, conversations and further coverage from Reading & Leeds 2026.
