2000trees has confirmed that Kneecap‘s headline set will go ahead as planned in spite of the band’s recent controversies.
The festival takes place at Upcote Farm in Cheltenham and will return from July 9-12. Kneecap will co-headline the festival alongside PVRIS on Thursday, July 10, while Hot Milk headline on the Wednesday, Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria on the Friday and Alexisonfire on the Saturday.
“After loads of speculation & numerous requests from the press of late, we are happy to confirm that YES! Kneecap are still headlining the Thursday at 2000trees this July,” the festival confirmed in a newsletter.
“If their recent shows in London are anything to go by, this promises to be one of the most memorable headline sets we’ve ever had at 2000trees.
“Do not miss it – Glasto is obviously sold out & we’re not far behind – so if you want to see the most talked about band in ages, you need to bag a 2000trees ticket before they all sell out! Come for the day or stay for all 4 nights – either way it’s gonna be wild!
“You may have even seen Kneecap at 2000trees before, this will be their 3rd visit after all. But headlining the main stage this summer is going to be something else entirely! We will ALL be there in the pit with you for one of the most exciting, fun & historic sets you’ll see this summer… Book your place before we sell out!!!”
Kneecap previously played the festival in 2022 and 2023.
By contrast, it was confirmed earlier today that Kneecap’s show at TRNSMT the same week as 2000trees has been axed over “safety concerns”, leading the band to announce a replacement gig in Glasgow.
Asked for a response, a festival spokesperson told NME: “Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday July 11. We thank fans for their understanding.”
Kneecap headlined Wide Awake Festival in London last week, shortly after a warm up show at the 100 Club in the same city, without any safety issues.
During the gig, the band spoke about the controversy following their statements in support of Palestine at Coachella 2025. Following that, counter-terror police began to assess footage from a London performance last November, which led to Mo Chara being charged by the Metropolitan Police with a terror offence.
At Wide Awake, Chara took to the stage alongside Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí to say the charge was designed to “silence” them ahead of their performance at Glastonbury this summer.
“I went for an interview with the counter-terror police and within days they came to a verdict that they were going to charge me,” he said at the south London event. “Never has it been that quick.
“And the reason it was that quick was because Glastonbury is just around the corner. They’re trying to silence us from speaking onstage at Glastonbury the way we did at Coachella. Fuck them.”
The musician – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – is due to appear at Westminster Crown Court on June 18. He encouraged fans to gather at Westminster with “a big bag of ket” for the hearing.
Kneecap’s appearance at TRNSMT is not the only gig they have had cancelled recently, which they acknowledged onstage at Wide Awake. These include Germany’s Hurricane Festival and Southside Festivals, Cornwall’s Eden Project, and a replacement show in Plymouth.
They also referenced how MPs have called to have them removed from the line-ups of other festivals, including TRNSMT, Glastonbury and more.
“They tried to stop this gig,” Kneecap told fans at Wide Awake. “Honestly, lads, you have no idea how close we were to being pulled off this gig.”
In addition, the DUP also encouraged the cancellation of Kneecap’s forthcoming gig with Fontaines D.C. in Belfast, which sold out in 35 minutes.
