Kneecap suggested as ‘secret set' to replace Bob Vylan at Manchester festival
Speaking on the 2 Promoters, 1 Pod podcast, Radar organiser Catherine Jackson-Smith said the festival was 'forced into a position' they did not want to take in dropping the band from their upcoming headline slot this Saturday.
On acts that could replace Bob Vylan, Ms Jackson-Smith said her colleague Joe had suggested a Kneecap 'secret set' in order to 'make a statement'.
'You can say nothing publicly but if you go and book, and as I did mention, Joe's first response was, 'What if we did Kneecap as a secret set?' because that makes a statement, and it makes a statement without having to make a statement and that is what we wanted to do so we are going through options,' she said.
'We might end up with somebody that has no discernible political opinion in any manner at this point because if they're free and they could play on Saturday, maybe that is the criteria that we're looking for at this stage.'
Irish rap trio Kneecap, whose member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence, performed on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury after Bob Vylan.
As of Friday afternoon, Radar has not announced a replacement for Bob Vylan and the festival's website lists the Saturday line up as 'headliner TBA (to be announced)'.
Of the conversation Radar organisers had with Bob Vylan, Ms Jackson-Smith said it was 'one of the most horrendous professional discussions' she has ever had.
'I cannot express clearly enough that I wanted Bob Vylan to perform at our festival,' she said.
'Bob Vylan know that we wanted to book them. Why else would we have booked them?' she added.
'And Bob Vylan also know that we didn't want to pull them, because we tried our hardest not to do that… but ultimately, it still ends at the same point the headlines will be 'Radar festival pulled Bob Vylan'.'
Bob Vylan issued a statement on Tuesday claiming they were being 'targeted for speaking up'.
It has emerged that Bob Vylan were already under investigation by police for comments made at a performance one month before Glastonbury.
Video footage appears to show Bobby Vylan at Alexandra Palace telling crowds: 'Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel. Death to the IDF.'
The duo have had their US visas revoked before their tour later this year and have been pulled from an upcoming performance at a German music festival, following their appearance at Glastonbury.
They are currently expected to perform at the Boardmasters surfing and music festival in Newquay, Cornwall, in August.
The group was formed in Ipswich in 2017, and are known for addressing political issues in their albums including racism, masculinity and class.
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South Wales Guardian
18 minutes ago
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The 45,000-strong crowd in Finsbury Park, London watched them walk on in front of a screen that said 'Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people'. They were supporting Irish band Fontaines DC, whose front man Grian Chatten joined to perform their collaboration Better Way To Live. People echoed the Belfast group's chants when they repeated the 'f*** Keir Starmer' and 'you're just a s*** Jeremy Corbyn' comments made at Glastonbury the previous weekend. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court earlier this month charged with a terror offence and will return next month. Fellow member Naoise O Caireallain, who uses the stage name Moglai Bap, said 'if anyone's free on the 20th of August, you wanna go to the court and support Mo Chara' before shouting 'free Mo Chara, free, free Mo Chara'. Wearing a keffiyeh, O hAnnaidh responded: 'I appreciate it, the 20th of August is going to be the second time Kneecap have beat the British Government in court – in their own court, on their own terms, and we're going to beat them for the second time. 'I tell you what, there is nothing like embarrassing the British Government.' Last year Kneecap won a discrimination challenge over a decision by former business secretary Kemi Badenoch to refuse them a £14,250 funding award. The UK Government conceded it was 'unlawful' after the band launched legal action claiming the decision to refuse the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationality and political opinion. It was agreed that the £14,250 sum would be paid by the Government to the group. During the performance the group intermittently broke off the mosh pits and raucous crowd by addressing the war in Gaza, which is a recurring theme of their shows. O hAnnaidh said: 'It's usually around this point of the gig that we decide to talk about what's happening in Palestine. 'I understand that it's almost inhumane that I'm thinking of new things to say on stage during a genocide, for sound bites. 'It's beyond words now, like, we always used to say obviously they're being bombed from the skies with nowhere to go, but it's beyond that now. 'They've been being starved for a few months on end, and not only that, the areas that they have set up, to collect aid and food, have turned into killing fields and they're killing hundreds a day trying to collect food.' He continued: 'It's beyond words, but again, we played in Plymouth last night to 750 people and we did the same thing, so it doesn't matter how big or small our audience is, Kneecap will always use the platform for talking about this.' O Caireallain had said earlier in the show: 'They can try and silence us, they can try and stop us, but we're not going to stop talking about Palestine – as long as there's a genocide happening in Palestine we're going to keep talking about it and yous are going to keep talking about it, and they can't stop us.' The UN human rights office has recorded 613 killings near humanitarian convoys and at aid distribution points in Gaza run by an Israeli-backed American organisation since it began operations in late May. On Friday its spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings, but 'it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points' operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The GHF has denied any serious injuries or deaths on its sites and says shootings outside their immediate vicinity are under the purview of Israel's military. The Israeli military has said previously it fires warning shots to control crowds or at Palestinians who approach its troops.
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19 minutes ago
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43 minutes ago
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For the eighth year, 150,000 festival goers will descend on Glasgow Green from 11-13 July to see the liked of 50 Cent, Gracie Abrams and Biffy Clyro, and you could be there! Metro has teamed up with Rockstar Energy presents TRNSMT Festival to offer four VIP tickets to one lucky winner. For a chance to win this massive music prize, simply enter your details here. You have until midnight on Sunday 6 July 2025 to enter using the form below. Entrants must be 18+. Good luck! T&Cs apply*. Click here if form is not loading. * Open to legal residents of Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18 or over. Promotion opens at 18:01 BST on 2 July 2025 and closes at 23:59 BST on 6 July 2025. The promotion is free to enter; however internet access is required. Entrant must visit and when prompted by the form, submit their name, email, telephone number, date of birth and postcode. Acceptance of the terms and conditions is necessary to enter the promotion. There will be one (1) winner. The winner will win four (4) VIP weekend tickets for TRNSMT Festival, running from 11th – 13th July 2025 at Glasgow Green, in Glasgow ('Prize'). Proof of age and photographic ID are required for entry for all guests (the guests of the winner must be at least 16 years old at the time of entry). The Prize, including entry and attendance at TRSNMT festival, is subject to and governed by the Promoter's full ticket terms and conditions. 1 prize available. 1 entry per person. Full T&Cs apply, see here. Meanwhile, fellow member Naoise O Caireallain, who uses the stage name Moglai Bap, said, 'If anyone's free on the 20th of August, you wanna go to the court and support Mo Chara' before shouting, 'Free Mo Chara, free, free Mo Chara'. Wearing a keffiyeh, O'Hanna responded: 'I appreciate it, the 20th of August is going to be the second time Kneecap have beat the British Government in court – in their own court, on their own terms—and we're going to beat them for the second time. 'I tell you what, there is nothing like embarrassing the British Government.' Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination challenge over a decision by former business secretary Kemi Badenoch to refuse them a £14,250 funding award. The UK Government conceded it was 'unlawful' after the band launched legal action claiming the decision to refuse the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationality and political opinion. It was agreed that the £14k+ sum would be paid by the Government to the group. Furthermore, amid this evening's performance, the group intermittently broke off the mosh pits and raucous crowd by addressing the war in Gaza, which is a recurring theme of their shows. O'Hanna said: 'It's usually around this point of the gig that we decide to talk about what's happening in Palestine. 'I understand that it's almost inhumane that I'm thinking of new things to say on stage during a genocide for sound bites. 'It's beyond words now, like, we always used to say, obviously they're being bombed from the skies with nowhere to go, but it's beyond that now. 'They've been being starved for a few months on end, and not only that, the areas that they have set up to collect aid and food have turned into killing fields, and they're killing hundreds a day trying to collect food.' He continued: 'It's beyond words, but again, we played in Plymouth last night to 750 people, and we did the same thing, so it doesn't matter how big or small our audience is; Kneecap will always use the platform for talking about this.' O Caireallain had said earlier in the gig: 'They can try and silence us, they can try and stop us, but we're not going to stop talking about Palestine—as long as there's a genocide happening in Palestine, we're going to keep talking about it, and yous are going to keep talking about it, and they can't stop us.' The UN human rights office has recorded 613 killings near humanitarian convoys and at aid distribution points in Gaza run by an Israeli-backed American organisation since it began operations in late May. More Trending Kneecap's impassioned pro-Palestine speeches this weekend come after the launch of an investigation into their Glastonbury set by Avon and Somerset Police. Also involved in a probe is Bob Vylan, whose performance saw singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is reportedly Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, lead crowds in chants of 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. Directly after the duo's set, Kneecap also performed on the West Holts Stage, where they chanted 'Free Palestine'. Currently, footage is being reviewed by an appointed senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act amounted to a criminal offence. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: The Starmiversary is here – where did it all go so wrong? MORE: What we know about Zarah Sultana's new party 'with Jeremy Corbyn' after she quits Labour MORE: From tears to cheers, readers discuss Rachel Reeves and tax rises
