The headline slots this year were taken by Geordie alternative rocker Sam Fender, and Irish rapid-climbers Fontaines D.C..
The first of three Irish acts to take to the stage was The Murder Capital. Brandishing a discography rife with indie-rock-packed tracks such as 'The Fall’ and 'Death of a Giant', the quartet aptly hyped up the crowd for the rest of the festival's line-up.
Succeeding was Leeds quartet, English Teacher. Known for their stark and often witty observations akin to acts such as Dry Cleaning, the band offered a selection of tracks from all corners of their back catalogue.
Their set opened with 'The World's Biggest Paving Slab' and quickly moved into the pleading chorus of ‘I'm Not Crying, You're Crying'. 'A55' was dedicated to a festival-goer at the barrier brandishing a sign emblazoned with the track, but, it was 'R&B' that was met with English Teacher’s biggest crowd reaction of the evening, as lead singer Lily Fontaine admits "Despite appearances, I haven't got the voice for R&B / Even though I've seen more COLORS Shows than KEXPs".
Despite their discography being largely sung in Irish, that didn't stop the 26,000-strong crowd from getting involved in singing along with KNEECAP’s politically-charged tracks. Finding their fame after the release of their mockumentary-style eponymous biopic, overt dislike of government and overwhelming support for Palestine, the trio (Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí) have found themselves the subject of more than one news headline of late.
Grian Chatten, frontman of Fontaines D.C., joined the trio on stage for the performance of their collaborative track 'Better Way To Live' - with its inaugural stage performance at Glastonbury Festival 2024.
KNEECAP’s set was packed with high-octane performances of hits such as '3CAG', 'Your Sniffer Dogs Are Shite' and 'Fine Art', with DJ Próvaí even jumping off the stage to enter the pit for a crowdsurf.
The trio closed their set with 'THE RECAP', departing the stage to magnificent cheers that would soon return when Grian Chatten entered the stage just over an hour later.
Headliners of the night, and heavy supporters of KNEECAP, Fontaines D.C. strutted onto the stage at a prompt 8:45 pm, backed by a played recording of 'Starburster / In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator song)' - a delightful tease of the final track they'd play that night.
The tracks to follow were a no-skips quadruple of fan favourites: 'Jackie Down The Line', 'Boys in the Better Land', 'Televised Mind', and 'Roman Holiday' - all plucked from their first three records.
'It's Amazing To Be Young' - their only single release of 2025, and part of the deluxe edition of 'Romance', was dedicated to KNEECAP as Grian filled Wythenshawe Park with airy, drawn out vocals as he doted on the freedom of youth despite financial restraints ("It's the cost / That brings you down / But it's amazing / To be young").
The title track of their sophomore record, 'A Hero's Death' was met with a raucous response from the crowd, where 'Motorcycle Boy' and 'Horseness Is the Whatness' - a title taken from James Joyce's Ulysses (a phrase that explores the philosophical concept of being and essence), stripped the set back for a handful of songs, and gave fans a much needed respite from moshpits.
Closing their initial setlist, 'Favourite' had fans belting "Did you know / I could claim the dreamer from the dream?" back at Chatten from the get-go. Disregarding a fan-farewell, fans knew Fontaines D.C. would soon return to the stage, but not before a 10-minute wait accompanied by droning, hypnotic, TV-static instrument feedback.
'Romance' marked the start of the much-expected encore, further comprised of 'In The Modern World', 'I Love You' and 'Starburster'. The penultimate track offered a politically relevant discourse ("Selling genocide and half-cut pride / I understand") as Palestine and Irish flags painted the night sky in shades of red, orange and green.
Fan-favourite 'Starburster' closed out the night, with Grian turning the microphone to the crowd for the anxiety-inducing deep-breath elements of the song. Experimental and genre-defying, 'Starburster' is the pinnacle of what Fontaines D.C. have to offer, and shows exactly why they're the current champions of indie rock.
Lana Williams
@lanatakesphotos / @_lanaajade
Images: Lana Williams
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