Nearly five decades on from its notoriously troubled birth, The Feeding of the 5000 is finally getting the full live treatment it deserves — and Brussels gets to witness it first.
On Saturday 16 May 2026, the AB Ballroom in Brussels opens its doors to one of the most charged evenings in the venue’s Punk 50 series: Crass co-founder and vocalist Steve Ignorant will perform the band’s landmark 1978 debut album in its entirety, supplemented by further material from Crass’s formidable back catalogue. It is a special commission made exclusively for AB — and if you care even remotely about the history of anarcho-punk, you should be there.
The Album That Shocked A Pressing Plant
The Feeding of the 5000 was controversial before a single copy left the factory. The opening track Asylum — echoing Patti Smith’s Gloria with the line “Jesus died for his own sins / Not mine” — was deemed blasphemous by workers at the pressing plant, who flat-out refused to manufacture it. The album had to be shipped with a silent placeholder track in its place.
The record contains eighteen tracks — classics like Do They Owe Us A Living?, Banned From The Roxy and Punk Is Dead — and clocks in at just 32 minutes, with an average song length of under two minutes. Compact, relentless, and absolutely uncompromising. Crass drummer and co-founder Penny Rimbaud later offered his own wry take on the title: the band named it after the biblical miracle because 5,000 was the minimum number of copies that could be pressed — around 4,900 more than they ever expected to sell.
Crass were described by The Guardian as “musically, artistically and politically the most extreme band to emerge from the initial wave of punk.” They didn’t just talk about DIY — they lived it: a shared community at Dial House in Essex, their own Crass Records label, and their own now-iconic sleeve artwork. Their influence stretches far beyond punk circles. Björk counts them as an influence, and Crass Records released the first two albums by her band Kükl. The Guardian noted that Crass’s legacy can be traced everywhere from vegetarian options in supermarkets to the stencilled street art of Banksy.
to emerge from the initial wave of punk.” — The Guardian
Full Lineup
This isn’t a one-headliner show — AB has assembled a genuinely compelling bill of support acts, each carrying the Crass spirit in their own way.
Dutch melodic punks who have been making serious noise on the circuit — Noorderslag, Best Kept Secret, tours with Girls To The Front. Their debut album Good Company just landed in 2026. Expect dystopian guitars, a cowbell, and total chaos.
A fivesome split between Bristol and London, described by Steve Ignorant himself as “inspiring, entrancing and unstoppable.” They worked with Fugazi producer Don Zientara and Shellac’s Bob Weston, and cite Fugazi, IDLES, Pixies and drum ‘n’ bass as influences. That’s a combination you don’t see every day.
Moroccan punk band Taqbir impressed AB enough during BRDCST 2023 to be invited back for all three days of the festival. Fronted by Nao, they perform with rawness that sits somewhere between Cocaine Piss, The Slits and X-Ray Spex — and they play the most dangerous game: challenging the sexism, homophobia and racism embedded in Moroccan culture, at real personal risk. Their place on this bill alongside Crass feels entirely earned.
In a special set created exclusively for AB, Steve Ignorant performs The Feeding of the 5000 in full, then expands the set with further material from across the Crass catalogue. This is a once-in-a-generation night for anyone who cares about the roots of anarcho-punk.
Part of Punk 50
The Steve Ignorant evening sits within AB’s Punk 50 series — a celebration of fifty years of chaos, freedom and bold expression, featuring exhibitions, films, talks, a zine market and a lineup of international icons, Belgian legends and new punk voices. If you’re not already tracking the full programme, now is the time.
Practical Info
Event Details
| Date | Saturday 16 May 2026 |
| Venue | AB Ballroom — Anspachlaan 110, 1000 Brussels |
| Doors | 17:30 |
| Lineup | L.A. SAGNE (18:00) · Club Brat (19:00) · Taqbir (20:00) · Steve Ignorant (21:00) |
| Tickets | €25 general · €20 student · €5 Paspartoe/UiTPAS · €1.25 Article 27 |
| Organiser | Ancienne Belgique (AB) |
Whether you’re a long-time Crass devotee or discovering them through this show, Saturday 16 May at AB is one of those rare evenings where history and raw energy arrive on the same stage at the same time. Don’t sleep on this one.
