Kneecap took time out of their Coachella set earlier today to lead the crowd in a raucous rendition of a chant aimed at former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The Irish rap group were joined by full-throated audience participation as they sang “Maggie’s in a Box” to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s 1983 hit “Give It Up.”
The trio - Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí - are longstanding critics of the former Conservative leader, who died in 2013.
In an interview with PoliticsJoe last year they were confronted with a social media post that stated: “Mrs Thatcher will be remembered long after Kneecap are forgotten.” Móglaí Bap responded: “That’s true. She’ll be remembered as a c***.”
Mo Chara added: “She’ll be remembered as a brutal b******.”
The group have a significant following in the United States, particularly after the success of their BAFTA-winning biopic. The film depicted their rise to fame and how they strived to bring the Irish language to a younger generation.
In a four-star review, The Independent critic Clarisse Loughrey called the film a “sweary, crude and brilliantly political Irish comedy.”
After winning the BAFTA for outstanding British debut in February, Kneecap director Rich Peppiatt dedicated the award to those who are fighting to “have their homeland respected”.
"Everyone should have their language respected, their culture respected,” he added. “This award is dedicated to everyone out there who's fighting that fight.”
Earlier in the day at Coachella, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong made a surprise appearance with The Go-Gos, joining the reunited band for an exuberant performance of their 1984 single “Head Over Heels”.
Attendees at this year’s festival have complained about long queues and a lack of facilities, branding the experience of arriving at Coachella as “worse than Fyre Festival.”
In addition to Kneecap and The Go-Go’s, today will also see a headline set from Lady Gaga, who returns at the top of the bill after headlining the festival in 2017, and performances from Missy Elliott, rising pop star Benson Boone, The Marías, White Lotus star and BLACKPINK member LISA, The Prodigy, Parcels, Mustard, and Mau P.
Those not attending the festival in person can livestream performances on Coachella’s YouTube channel or via the new Coachella Livestream app, beginning at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET each day.
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