LIVE REVIEWS
Friko appear to be playing a game of Show, Don’t Tell. Performing at downtown Austin’s Waterloo Records, the band are seemingly partaking in the Texan capital’s cowboy culture: wearing double denim, vocalist/guitarist Niko Kapetan’s bursts of fretboard finger-tapping are accompanied by sequences of movement. He frequently side-steps towards drummer Bailey Minzenberger before pivoting into a 90-degree turn, as though in a line dance. The only thing missing is some pointy-toed boots.
This ‘unofficial’ gig – an offshoot event of SXSW not directly associated with or funded by the festival – feels like an exciting early-doors moment, dotted with both young music fans tightly hugging their new vinyl purchases and industry heads swinging their music press lanyards. Some gig-goers even lean from behind David Bowie cardboard cutouts in order to see the shoebox-sized stage before them. Beset with nerves, with beads of sweat forming around his curls, Kapetan asks how this afternoon’s (March 12) audience is feeling after opener ‘Crimson To Chrome’. The answer from the floor is resoundingly positive.
The Chicago duo, who are joined today by bassist David Fuller, make peppy songs that shimmer with shades of Bright Eyes and The Microphones, as well as intriguingly subtle hints of chamber-pop. They emerged from their hometown’s flourishing guitar scene alongside Horsegirl and Lifeguard, while their February debut ‘Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here’ has become something of a runaway hit among indie-rock circles. Alongside storming the US music press, the record has impacted the indie charts in Japan and is currently earning bigger streaming numbers there than the band’s home country.
Their songs are almost unreasonably anthemic. ‘Crashing Through’ has a hint of Black Country, New Road melodrama, as textures fold and crash into each other while Kapetan and Fuller trade vocals. The hazy, winding bassline of ‘Cardinal’ – a track that taps into a particular type of Gen Z yearning – is offset by grinding dissonance, complemented by the sweetness and shyness of Kapetan’s vocals. The contrast is gorgeous.
Friko will go on to play a further seven Austin shows throughout the week; as bands continue to drop out of SXSW due to its current ties to the US Army and weapons manufacturers, many are choosing instead to play alternative showcases. That self-assuredness – and belief in both their music and decision-making – is on full display here. Alongside his bandmates, who quietly sing along to nearly every lyric, Kapetan throws himself into the rumbling closer ‘Where We’ve Been’, buoyed by the enthusiastic response.
‘Crimson To Chrome’
‘Chemical’
‘Crashing Through’
‘In Out’
‘Cardinal’
‘Get Numb To It’
‘Where We’ve Been’
LIVE REVIEWS
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.
