Is there ever a time Fontaines D.C. cannot handle? The answer would appear to be no. About mid-way through the Reading Festival set singer opens up about the recent difficult couple of months the band have had to deal with.
The emotional impact of the death of Fontaines D.C.’s beloved manager , the trusted ‘sixth member’ of the band, the one person who had been a part of their remarkable story right from the start. As the group stated at the time of his passing on June 7th, “We have never known Fontaines without him.”
Understandably, the tragic event filters through the band’s (delayed) headline affair on Friday night on the Grid Stage. A poignant performance in an atmosphere of melancholy probably is the only way things could be, given the sad circumstances.
The concert offers hope and a look to the future, however. Starting out with ‘Boys in the Better Land’ is the sort of opening that gets the festival crowd going, irrespective of almost anything else. It’s a freeing and fun moment, as ‘Here’s the Thing’ and ‘Nabokov’ follow in quick succession.
Never shy of a play on their roots, Chatten’s appearance in Welsh football jersey, Cwmbran Celtic F.C. a semi-professional club doing a lot for independent music venues becomes a big deal after the show, with sales almost doubling.
Soothing, familiar renditions of ‘Jackie Down the Line’ and ‘Televised Mind’ are effective crowd pleasers, song territory familiar enough for the band who move forward at such an impeccable pace. It’s admirable.
While this gig by nature is raw, the level of energy comes in the form of the odd burst rather than intense, cohesive waves of it, and this is fine. Wrapping up the show with ‘Starburster’ is a big, fulfilling finale.
It’s possible that new song ‘Marianne’ is an indication of what’s to come down the line, when their upcoming fifth studio album lands in autumn. The high-profile shows announced in Los Angeles and New York mean that a thrilling time is ahead for the band, who remain so destined for even greater things to come, which they fully deserve.
