Alex Cropper visits Hangar34 to witness Fontaines D.C. launch Skinty Fia.
For a band that has massively grown in stature over the past few years it was somewhat of a shock to see Fontaines D.C. booked for such a relatively small and intimate venue (in comparison to Mountford Hall which- they rocked to the rafters only a few months ago). With the added novelty of being an album launch for their 3rd record Skinty Fia tonight cemented itself as one not to be missed, or likely repeated in the foreseeable future.
From within the dense thick of the crowd a real sense of anticipation and excitement rises. Fontaines have built a formidable reputation for themselves and have a rapidly growing fan base in the palm of their hand, a fanbase that is noteworthy in its diversity when it comes to age. The youth are front and centre around the barrier as is to be expected but taking a moment to look around at the faces in attendance the reach of Fontaines D.C. is apparent. They’re not a flash in the pan and it would seem that their appeal is rather varied.
Rapturous applause breaks out as Grian Chatten and co take to the stage. Void of any pomp and circumstance they introduce their dark, expansive new album with the opening track In ár gCroíthe go deo. A slow building track that crescendos and sets the tone for the rest of the evening. The 5 piece waste no time, launching into a hypnotic performance of A Lucid Dream which quickly caused football-esq chants to break out in tandem with the music, creating an anthemic atmosphere and a real sense of connection. Chatten starts to punch the air and pace around like a man possessed as they rattle through tracks from Skinty Fia.
Chatten is quickly becoming the new voice for a generation, channelling the great Irish poets and telling his truths with songs such as I Love You and Jackie Down the Line. Combine this with an energetic stage presence featuring an impressive poker face makes for a captivating and ambiguous performance that only adds more weight to the material. Most importantly though, the band have the songs to back it up. This is far from a one man show with wry comments about society as we currently know it.
Setlist:
- In ár gCroíthe go deo
- A Lucid Dream
- Sha Sha Sha
- Roman Holiday
- I Don’t Belong
- Televised Mind
- Nabokov
- Big Shot
- How Cold Love Is
- I Love You
- A Hero’s Death
- Skinty Fia
- Jackie Down the Line
Photo gallery by Alex Cropper
