After a Summer of huge sold-out shows, Fontaines D.C played their highly anticipated show at Wythenshawe Park with one of the most exciting line-ups of the year, solidifying their place as one of the best bands around currently.
First to take the stage was the Murder Capital, a fellow Irish post-punk band from Dublin. Starting at around the same time as the Fontaines, they, too are a big part of the new wave of talented Irish bands taking the world by storm. ‘What’s the crack, Manchester? ’frontman James McGovern shouted as they walked out. From the beginning, they brought a fantastic energy. Their single ‘Love of Country’ was a standout moment as they combined raw, powerful vocals with a gravelly guitar sound, shifting from whisper-soft tones to anguish and pain.
English Teacher were up next. The crowd warmly welcomes them to the stage, bringing a softer, more introspective tone. Following in the footsteps of Fontaines, their debut album, ‘This Could Be Texas’, won the 2024 Mercury Prize and was really well-received. Their songs are soft, emotive and introspective takes on politics and the modern world. They played songs such as ‘I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying’ and ‘Nearly Daffodils’. The crowd were taken aback by Lily Fontaine’s stunning vocals at the end of ‘Albert Road’, ending on a breathtaking high.
Moments before Kneecap walked out onto the stage, there was an undeniable excitement and curiosity in the air. They had a cool confidence as they asked the crowd, ‘Are we ready for a mad one?’, perfectly summing up the chaos of what was about to ensue. As DJ Próvaí took to his decks, wearing his infamous Irish flag balaclava, Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap bounded down the stage extension, coming straight to the edge of the crowd. In a menacing, ominous voice, DJ Próvaí called to open up the pits.
For a while, there was contention surrounding whether the council would even allow Kneecap to play the show, and this had built significantly over the last few days. Having been on the line-up for months, the crowd was desperate to see them. The band remarked on this as fans booed and jeered, clearly disappointed in the controversy their appearance sparked. At the centre of Kneecap’s shows is how they use their platform to speak out about issues such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. They led a charged ‘Free Palestine’ chant and encouraged fans to wave their flags. From the beginning, Kneecap have always been as much a rap group as they are a political force, and Wythenshawe Park was no different.
The moshing was relentless, feeding off the energy that the band brought to the stage. The ground was almost shaking under your feet from a mixture of bass and the crowd’s excitement.
At the moment, you can’t talk about music without talking about Mo Chara’s trial. With his court date August 20th looming, he appears unfazed, joking to the crowd ‘It wasn’t me, your honour’, as the crowd all cheered and rallied behind in support. The band very proudly led a ‘Free Mo’ chant, laughing amongst themselves that the crowd is now on the watch list too.
The energy was at an immense high as they welcomed Grian Chatten to the stage to perform their song ‘Better Way To Live’. The crowd seemed to know every word as they joined in.
Between acts, the crowd was still buzzing. There is no better way to entertain a Manchester crowd than having Mani from the Stone Roses play a DJ set, playing into the Oasis Fever and the season hailed ‘Britpop Summer’.
The real anticipation started to build as fans watched the infamous ‘Romance Heart’, a giant balloon, slowly and painfully inflate. Moments before Fontaines D.C would take to the stage, the heart began to beat. It radiated and pulsed with pink beams, gradually getting faster and faster as the energy came to a peak.
One by one, each member walked out on stage to a huge applause. Without a second of hesitation, they went straight into ‘Here’s The Thing’. The slow-building baseline, brooding lyrics and intense guitar riffs powered the track. Frontman, Grian Chatten, stood on a speaker, arms outstretched, drawing the audience in as they yelled back every single lyric. They had an instantaneous stage presence from the get-go that commanded attention and couldn’t be missed from anywhere in the venue.
In a moment of escapism, the band seamlessly transitioned into ‘Roman Holiday’, with its propulsive guitar and hypnotic, driving rhythm. Grain waved and beckoned on the crowd as he wistfully sang, ‘Baby, come on get stoned, get stoned’, whilst Conor Deegan whistled along. The crowd applauded as the screen lit up with the beloved lyrics ‘Don’t forget who you are, Skinty Fia!’ in reference to their third album. It translates to the damnation of the deer, an old Irish expression encapsulating the brooding and longing felt in their lyricism. After a climactic last strum, the stage suddenly went dark.
Dedicated to Kneecap, the band played ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ in solidarity with them. The pink lighting shifted to a white, nostalgic sheen across the stage. The song is heartbreakingly beautiful live; it encapsulates the sentimentality of live music and how truly special it is. The yearning of Grian’s voice in the final chorus is unforgettable.
Mid-set, they played their more energising tracks. ‘Death Kink’ opened with harsh, deep, gritty guitars from Carlos O’Connell and Conor Curley that oozed post-punk goodness. Then they moved on to ‘Big’ and a highly anticipated performance of ‘Hurricane Laughter’. Grian strutted across the stage, commanding the fans as they moshed and punched along. A visceral energy bled out of the crowd as they sang back.
One thing you can always commend the Fontaines for is their ability to evolve. Their latest album ‘Romance’ centres around love in all forms, something everyone can relate to. ‘In The Modern World’ is a melancholic ballad with agonising lyrics about being young and in love, blended with an intense energy and stunning string arrangement. The lyrics laid heavily upon the crowd as they sang back with as much ache as the band themselves. Grian stood downstage, arms outstretched as the Romance heart slowly wept.
‘I Love You’ is a fan favourite and a huge song for the Fontaines. Deego’s iconic bassline is the backbone of the song. The bridge of the song is a fast-paced critique of society, made to be screamed back by doting fans. Grian dragged his mic stand down the stage, meeting the crowd to sing whilst the stage lit up with the Palestinian flag and the screens on either side saying ‘Free Palestine’.
Ending with their latest hit ‘Starburster’, they left the stage on a tremendous high. Their show was spectacular, from the lighting to their groundbreaking stage presence, this summer Fontaines D.C have reinstated themselves as a band to be reckoned with. The end of the Romance era feels bittersweet as the band begins to tease new music.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY KATIE LEE
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