foto by Manu MobyNews
The Prodigy returned to Athens after two years, on a date that marked the 31st anniversary of their groundbreaking 'Music For The Jilted Generation' album. It couldn't get any better. But what maybe counted even more this week for the band was their performance at Glastonbury Festival, playing there for the fourth time (previous appearances: 1995, 1997, 2009). They did smash the stage and brought chaos once again. As Maxim said before 'Omen' dropped: "Six years ago we lost our brother. This show tonight is dedicated to Mr. f**n Flint."
So, with all this under their belt, the boys returned to Greece - a country and a crowd that loves them so much. The fifth day of Athens Release Festival was absolutely scorching and rammed with people of all ages. Prior to the boys' performance, Bob Vylan (first time in Greece) and Pendulum have delivered smashing live sets, firing up the masses. It was tremendous to see especially Pendulum playing live in the same day with The Prodigy. Regarding Bob Vylan, they are a contemporary punk band, who rock with attitude. Such a great lineup!
Just for the record, on the exact same day ten years ago, The Prodigy played a gig in Athens, in times when Greece was economically suffering. Back then, tunes like 'Their Law' found a real place in the hearts of a raging crowd. However, this time it was something different, as it is always with The Prodigy. You can't pick your favorite gig from them, and even if you can kinda guess the setlist, the vibe shall be unique everytime.
Before entering the main venue you could see a kiosk of cool official Prodigy merch, like a blue T-shirt with the Experience-era Prodigy logo in front and on the back, the satellite from Out of Space - in white print. Additionally, Maxim’s black tee with bold orange "HERO" lettering was another standout.
A glowing sight in front of my eyes was the presence of many parents who brought their kids along. Some were even carrying them on their shoulders, standing close to the moshpit, which was wild during every single song. One dad randomly turned to me and said "the boys are freaking amazing." Then, I told him back that he was even more amazing for introducing his young child to such a gig.
From eight to eighty, everyone was ready to express themselves through the sounds of rebellion, the unstoppable beats of Liam, the intensive screams of Maxim among the sharp guitar riffs of Rob and the thundering drums of Leo.
foto by Manu MobyNews
The gig kicked off around 21:50 local time, with the last to enter being Maxim, wearing his usual coat and shouting a huge: "Where the f**k is Athens?" amidst all the shouts and horns from the crowd waiting for the kick-off. Flags flew all around the place, many of them with the trademark ant symbol. 'Voodoo People' started, a banger which replaced 'Breathe' as the opening tune and in my opinion it totally fits the case. And when chapter two comes sped-up in the Pendulum D&B version, the place went instantly mental. This is all we wanted.
"The writing’s on the wall" and screams echoed everywhere shouting “IT’S AN OMEN!”. People were already warmed up by the music and moreover by the scorching 33°C (91.4°F) approx. heat - it definitely felt even hotter in the pit among the bass and the buzz.
'Firestarter' hit with full force - a powerful tribute that has become a cornerstone of their shows since their return to touring in 2022, honouring the one and only Keith Flint. The Athenian sky lit up with lasers as Keith’s iconic image blazed across the screen, while smoke canisters erupted and the entire field plunged into a massive, wild moshpit. Above board, every time this classic banger comes on, it feels like both the band and the fans step into the same equation, united in spirit, delivering their own loud and emotional message to Keith.
As expected, oldschool fans and new-gen warriors became one on a frenzy cocktail, while Maxim was standing at attention. The heat got even more intense, and the speed didn’t drop so the Andy C 'Firestarer' remix was followed by 'Roadblox', keeping the energy on the same level with the pumping D&B rhythms.
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| foto by Paradoxo |
Some fills gave a bit of space to breathe, but not for long. Maxim called on the frontline warriors, and then 'Poison' dropped, sounding raw and more powerful than ever.
Chapter two. Even more. Yes, the Jilted people found their own space - reviving the ’94 days with the slowest track in BPM from that album, but a lethal weapon at the same time. Soon after, Liam transported us deeper into the MFTJG album with 'No Good (Start the Dance)' - the song that literally follows 'Poison' on the tracklist of the LP. Leo was on fire with his drumming, adding extra punch to this classic. The arena went off. Undescribed condition. Even the Ant Man, the Prodigy mascot from Russia, did his own thing right at the center of the moshpit.
Chapter two. Even more. Yes, the Jilted people found their own space - reviving the ’94 days with the slowest track in BPM from that album, but a lethal weapon at the same time. Soon after, Liam transported us deeper into the MFTJG album with 'No Good (Start the Dance)' - the song that literally follows 'Poison' on the tracklist of the LP. Leo was on fire with his drumming, adding extra punch to this classic. The arena went off. Undescribed condition. Even the Ant Man, the Prodigy mascot from Russia, did his own thing right at the center of the moshpit.
"Yeah, there he is. The Ant Man is here, all the way from Russia. You see this man? He travels all around the f***ing world to see us," Maxim shouted.
The next one was for the fighters. 'Get Your Fight On', and the energy transcended everything. Ravers started screaming "Prodigy! Prodigy!" and the message was clear. The chemistry between the band and the crowd marked pure electricity wrapped in deep appreciation. You could easily feel it through the body language of the four stage leaders, nodding and feeding off the crowd. 'Diesel Power' hit the place then and it was so thumping. The 'Knight Rider' samples did their own thing as well (Liam first used this version during late 2023).
Next up, we heard the MFTJG intro sample surrounding everything:
"So I’ve decided to take my work back underground” (yeah, like the tee I was wearing that night, athough I took it off quickly). Then 'Breathe' took over. A new flame lit up the crowd. GenXers, Millenial and GenZ fans alike responded as one to this timeless classic from the FOTL era. It actually felt like thousands of people were inhaling and exhaling in sync, caught in the same rhythm, the same breath.
But nothing had finished and we all knew that. The band returned after a short break and dropped the SMBU anthem, as Maxim shouted to turn up the sound more. Greeks love this classic so much. And this is the moment you conclude that this band is inside the Greek DNA, regardless of the fact that there were also warriors from all around the world in this arena of chaos - the scene of the crash. Maxim’s words echoed: “We are party people!” delivering that eternal message of unity and buzz introducing 'We Live Forever'. And before the final blast, Liam dropped a playful oldskool arcade-style fill, giving the pass to the celebratory 'Out of Space'. You could feel that extra oldskool dose in the live breakbeats - even catching some elements of Acen’s 'Trip II The Moon' mixed in (I guess this was the one...) - a perfect ending to a perfect night.
Everyone can realize that the band is stepping into a new era. Their highly anticipated UK/Ireland 2026 tour with Carl Cox is already close to selling out in every place and a clear sign that the fire is still burning strong could feature their emotional Glastonbury. This P.A. may have been the spark that reignited this momentum. You can feel it in the air: a unifying energy, louder and deeper than ever. There is freedom, expression and mutual energy. Liam Howlett even includes live some little snippets of older tunes and samples, even if we cannot totally get it. And as Maxim shouted to the Glastonbury crowd: "We are the noise makers. Anyone brings as much noise as this? I'll retire!"
We stand with them, through every beat, every drop, every scream. No matter what.
Fun fact: End of the gig and I bumped into an old pal Ilias, and fellow warrior from the Brainkiller forum, who was there with his 11-year-old daughter. That night marked her very first concert. After the show, I asked him how was her debut Prodigy experience, and he smiled and said:
"She was thrilled. It was her first concert. She knew all the songs, danced and jumped around to almost every single one. Every time the screens showed Liam (who’s her favorite), she screamed! In the end, she left with a big smile, and the first question she asked was when they’ll come back so we can go again."
Moments like these depic emotions. The Prodigy spirit lives on across generations. And this is why my excitement since Friday night hasn't faded but it drove me to write down this review as a labour of love to the greatest live band of the planet.
To sum up, the Prodigy joules of energy pulse through the Greek DNA.
Electricity might be pricey these days in Greece, but The Prodigy energy is forever priceless.
Setlist - Release Festival (4th July 2025)
Voodoo People
Omen
Light Up The Sky
Need Some 1
Ome Reprise/Firestarter
Roadblox
Poison
No Good
Get Your Fight On
Their Law
Invaders Must Die
Diesel Power
Breathe
Smack My Bitch Up
Take Me To The Hospital
We Live Forever
Out Of Space
Photostories:
Release Festival - link
Dimitris Kapantais/SOOC - link
Ioanna Kitrou - link
Alexandros Kat - link
Argiris Liosis - link
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