kneecap @ Crystal Palace Park

Flytjendur

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  Kneecap

  Condemned by politicians, beloved by fans, kicked out of their own gigs, and packing festival tents to overflow, Kneecap are a cultural phenomenon.

  Crashing into the consciousness with the release of, C.E.A.R.T.A., a track and video inspired by a police chase while protesting for Irish language rights, they’ve proceeded to run rampage across small rooms and massive festivals in Ireland, the UK, and the US, leaving a bemused media and captivated followers in their wake.

  Heralded by the New York Times, the LA Times, Dazed, Vice, i-D, the Guardian, and others, Kneecap’s irreverent, complex, and potent lyrics speak to a time of political upheaval, youthful rebellion and discontent, and a renewed urge to party.

  Kneecap is a movement, one about upending preconceptions about language and place, and reimagining what rap can be as a creative and cultural force.

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  The Mary Wallopers

  Raw Irish folk brought into the present. It all began just before the pandemic, when brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy joined forces with their friend Seán McKenna. Their first winter together hadn’t even ended when the pubs shut down. But the musicians wanted to keep the spirit of a rowdy pub sing-along alive – complete with swearing workers and wonderfully inappropriate jokes. So on St. Patrick’s Day 2020, they decided to share that atmosphere with the world through one of the very first livestreams of the Covid era. The Mary Wallopers later grew in size, and in spring 2025 founding member Seán left the band. Nothing of their uncompromising energy disappeared, though – the group has kept its unmistakably authentic approach. Their sound comes from refusing to cling to traditions and instead embracing influences from popular genres, including punk and R&B. Their music can be as political as it is playful, turning tradition into a living, breathing, shouting celebration of community and resistance. And Irish folk, so close to Czech audiences, won’t be missing at the 23rd edition of Colours of Ostrava either – this time landing somewhere between the punk edge of The Pogues and the experimental spirit of Lankum.

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  Fat Dog

  Like many a band that has emerged from London’s vibrant music scene, Fat Dog earned their stripes at the venerable Windmill. Formed during the pandemic, the band’s DNA is characterised by a certain degree of social disgust, which is reflected in their gloriously dirty vocals and also in their songwriting. This is marked just as much by distorted rock ’n’ roll and a furious punk quality, as it is by futuristic synths and driving backbeats.
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  Biig Piig
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  Gurriers

  Described by the Irish Times as “raw as a butcher's cut, and just as fresh”, Gurriers’ raging combination of punk, noise, alt-rock and shoegaze along with singer Dan Hoff’s intense socio-political lyricism, has been championed across specialist radio and press in the UK, Ireland and beyond. Cutting their teeth supporting acts like Enola Gay and Goat Girl, Gurriers have fast established themselves as one of the most furiously exciting bands to come out of Ireland these last few years. The intensely heavy groove of new single 'Des Goblin' erupted into being following a string of critically acclaimed singles the last year, the most recent 'Nausea' dubbed by DIY magazine 'a slice of unforgiving punk' which followed the release of 'Sign Of The Times' and 'Approachable'. The last year has been a riot with a stack of UK and Dutch club shows and a Summer full of festivals across Europe whilst Gurriers have since grown into a mesmerising tour de force on stage. Ahead of their packed shows at The Great Escape in May NME stated “You know something special is afoot when an act continues to sell out shows off the back of only two singles'
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  Madra Salach

  Madra Salach are a six piece contemporary folk band from Dublin. Originally playing in various local outfits, their shared love of the Irish traditional canon led them to form a bond playing impromptu sessions in pubs. Taking inspiration from the growing Irish experimental folk scene, Madra Salach focuses on original writing and composition, utilising electronic equipment. These songs, while modern thematically, are written with a voice that could have emerged at any point throughout the last century.