It’s a big day for Dublin post-punk five-piece Fontaines D.C.. The WXPN Artist to Watch released their third album, Skinty Fia, to much acclaim today, and they took the stage at a sold-out World Cafe Live for a Free At Noon concert — their first Philadelphia performance since the breakout success of 2020’s Grammy- and Brit Award-nominated LP A Hero’s Death. Tonight, they celebrate the release with a sold out show at Underground Arts.
The vibe was nervy and about to pop when the band made their entrance with “A Lucid Dream” from A Hero’s Death; lead vocalist Grian Chatten stomped, paced, shook and circled the microphone stand as his bandmates played a fast-paced, gritty groove. When it came time to sing, he stood at the mic, stoic. Truly he was Ian Curtis and Liam Gallagher rolled into one.
The brooding “How Cold Love Is” swung into the single “Jackie On Down The Line,” with the barreling “Televised Mind” bringing the energy up even higher. Chatten and his bandmates — guitarists guitarists Carlos O’Connell and Conor Curley, along with the impeccable rhythm section of Conor Deegan III on bass and Tom Coll on drums — weren’t too heavy on conversation, preferring to get down to business and rock this midday gig, from the pensive pace of “Roman Holiday” to the jangley Brit pop tones of “Roy’s Tune” and the unhinged energy of Skinty Fia‘s title track; punctuated by a raucous bassline and some tambourine action Chatten, the latter song was like the dark side of Madchester for a four-minute stretch.
Listen to the concert in full and check out photos from the show in the gallery below; Skinty Fia is available now, via Partisan Records, and after tonight’s sold-out Underground Arts show, the band heads up to Asbury Park’s Wonder Bar, and then around the country. Full tour dates can be found here.