Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten joined Kneecap on stage to perform ‘Better Way to Live’ at Glastonbury 2024. Watch footage from that moment below.
During the hip-hop trio’s 1.30am set on the newly-inducted Peace Stage – their second at the festival this weekend after opening the Woodsies Stage at 11.30am – they welcomed Chatten to the stage. The vocalist guested on the song, which appears on Kneecap’s latest album, ‘Fine Art’, recently released on June 14.
Chatten made his exit after the song, to which Kneecap member Mo Chara told the crowd: “You jammy fuckers, you’re very welcome for that”.
That @fontainesdublin x @KNEECAPCEOL moment from last night. #Glastonbury2024 pic.twitter.com/AhUF9Fynfo
— Andrew Trendell (@AndrewTrendell) June 30, 2024
Shangri-La that was one of the best gigs of our lives 🔥
FREE FREE PALESTINE 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/xG9D3qZW2j
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 30, 2024
Writing about the set in the NME Glastonbury liveblog, Andrew Trendell said:”As Saturday partied into Sunday, we made the long march to Shangri-La after Coldplay’s Pyramid headline set for something a whole lot less wholesome. Irish language Belfast rap tearaways Kneecap had already played a set at 11.30am. “It’s been a long fucking day,” said Mo Chara after the band burst onto the Peace Stage. You’re telling me. “There’s not enough cocaine to go for 14 hours,” smiles Móglaí Bap.
“Inciting a chant of “YOUR SNIFFER DOGS ARE SHITE“, the trio started as they mean to go on – starting trouble. The balaclava-clad DJ Próvaí rubbed his nipples as Chara and Bap stalked the stage and started moshpits in each corner of the field.
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“We have no right rapping in a language that no c**t speaks,” offers Chara, “but in front of all you mad c**ts at Glasto it’s a privilege”. To share the love for their homecountry, they then brought out Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten for their collab ‘Better Way To Live‘. The privilege was ours. “You jammy fuckers,” said Chara. “you’re very welcome for that.”
“Things only get more wild for ‘Guilty Conscience’ and the closing ‘H.O.O.D.’, a true highlight of the weekend. We won’t ask how anyone here managed to stay awake, but we’re glad we did.”
NME caught up with Kneecap earlier in the day to talk about their experience performing at Glastonbury – like meeting Lewis Capaldi and Paul Mescal, along with watching Fontaines D.C. backstage. “What a fuckin’ gig”, the group told NME. “One of the best things I’ve ever seen at Glastonbury.”
Prior to their performances, they screened a video playing in solidarity with Palestine.
Our message on the Glastonbury screens to 10,000 heads before the set 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/6kK4vcC9Dw
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 29, 2024
The group also shared footage from their Woodsies Stage set on social media earlier in the day, where their performance of ‘Better Way to Live’ featured a recording of Chatten from its music video.
30 seconds of early morning madness at @glastonbury – wait till 1.30am later on Shangri-La….🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/qDsgrqC5nl
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 29, 2024
“If anyone stumbled into this tent after taking too much Ketamine and doesn’t understand what we’re saying it’s cause we’re speaking Irish.” @KNEECAPCEOL pic.twitter.com/RSkXlWJPl0
— Hannah McCarthy (@Hannahmc_carthy) June 29, 2024
Fontaines' Grian Chatten beamed in for @KNEECAPCEOL's set at Woodsies 🇮🇪#Glastonbury2024 #Glastonbury pic.twitter.com/biggUNnwkz
— Far Out Magazine (@FarOutMag) June 29, 2024
Later this year, Kneecap will perform their biggest concert to date at the 11,000-pax Belfast Arena. The trio will also star in a film biopic as themselves, alongside Michael Fassbender, about the formation of the band, due for release in cinemas August 28.
Still set to come this weekend at Glastonbury 2024 are performances from SZA, Shania Twain, Janelle Monae, The National, Two Door Cinema Club, Avril Lavigne, Justice, Nia Archives, James Blake, Alvvays, Romy and more.
Camila Cabello’s chaotic set scored a three-star rating, while Dua Lipa’s Friday headlining performance earned her four stars. IDLES and Fontaines D.C nabbed perfect five-star ratings as did the festival’s first K-pop performers SEVENTEEN.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos, rumours and more from Glastonbury 2024. Follow the NME liveblog for all the action as it happens.