Derry barber has cut the hair of Post Malone, Rag’n’Bone Man, Idris Elba, George Ezra, Snow Patrol and Dermott Kennedy

Gregg McNeill pictured with Idris Elba, star of The Wire, Luther and rumoured to be in the running to become the next James Bond

Gregg McNeil, of Bareknuckle Barbers, now attends gigs and festivals hosted by MCD productions, including Electric Picnic and Longitude festival, to spruce up the acts before they take to the stage.

Not only has he cut the hair of many famous people in the last couple of years, he has also hung out with them backstage and had some very exclusive views of gigs.

“A guy came up to us at a barber festival and asked us to help him out at gigs. To be honest we didn’t think anything more of it, but he called us a couple of weeks later and we went to Longitude. That led onto Electric Picnic and when he moved to America we took over as the barbers for artists at MCD gigs.

Local barber Gregg McNeill and American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Post Malone

“We did Snow Patrol and Two Door Cinema Club up at their Ward Park gig earlier this year, Mumford and Sons in Malahide Castle and Boardmasters over in Cornwall as well. We got to meet and talk to loads of famous people there, including Idris Elba.

Gregg said meeting and working with the American rapper Post Malone has been a particular highlight.

“He took one of our t-shirts and sent us pictures of him wearing it and playing beer pong in it.”

The local barber, who has shops on Spencer Road and Northside Shopping Centre, said his team have ‘got to network and meet people we would never have got to meet. Dermot Kennedy did a run of intimate gigs earlier this year and his manager gave us a ring to come and sort him out before the show. We’ve also met Stormzy, Kendrick Lamarr and loads of other people.”

Gregg from Bareknuckle Barbers pictured with Gary Lightbody when Snow Patrol played a homecoming gig in Bangor earlier this year.

“It would be easy for MCD to contact a barber from Dublin to do it, but we have built up such a relationship with them and they keep it like a family.”

While the barbers have never cut Conor McGregor’s hair they have got to know him and he always makes sure to stop by at Electric Picnic.