[ATTENDED: September 7, 2019] Fontaines D.C.
I had heard of Fontaines D.C. from NPR. They raved about the band’s live show. I was pretty exited to get to see them in a small place like Johnny Brenda’s. Then I was really quite surprised that they sold out. I feel like a lot of times bands that I think have a lot of buzz either don’t or don’t have it in Philly.
But it was sold out and the crowd knew the band really well (much better than I did).
When Pottery went off stage, the floor cleared out a bit and I got a great spot right up front.
Then they turned on these awful blue lights. Was that the band’s decision? Why were they like that for the whole show? Who thought that wa sa good look for anyone? But I didn’t really care because I was ready to hear this legendary (already) band.
They are an interesting band to be sure. Many (but not all) of their songs are fast. But all of their songs feature lead vocalist Grian Chatten speak-singing ala Art Brut but with a Dublin accent. On stage Chatten is something of a caged tiger, walking around grabbing the mic stand, lurching, looking distracted or pissed off. And then he bursts out his vocals.
The band around him is pretty dynamite.
When they started with “Television Screens,” Conor Deegan III was messing around with his bass. Since I didn’t know the band’s songs that well, I don’t know if he was tuning it or if there was a problem with it. I couldn’t tell if the band was playing despite this or if it was intentional. But when he kicked in, it really filled out the sound. Deegan also played guitar on some tracks, like on the mellow”The Lotts” so the band had three guitars going at once which sounded pretty great.
Carlos O’Connell was on the far right playing a lot of the more electric-sounding leads, while Conor Curley was on the left adding some great sounds as well, like the high notes in “Hurricane Laughter.” And Tom Coll was just a beast behind the kit.
I really enjoyed the first song and that’s when this guy forced his way in front of the stage. Rude, but not unprecedented. Then I noticed he was kind of hunching over, elbows out. And I thought, great, he’s going to try to start a pit. Well, Johnny Brenda’s is the size of a living room and while there is plenty of pogoing, there’s no room for a pit. But this guy was determined. And, sadly, I was next to him so he started slowly bouncing off of me and other people, looking for someone to go in with him. Needless to say I stopped enjoying the show. I tried to get away from the guy but there was really no where to go–no one else wanted to be next to him either. And we were pretty packed in.
Finally, he crashed into the guy behind me who shoved him really hard. And he took offense. There was some in your face staring and whatnot and then then the dancer left.
I have no idea how many songs had gone on during that–possibly only one–but it set me on edge.
And shortly after, the guy came back and this time, he climbed on stage (easy enough since the stage is low). People were trying to pull him back down, but he fought his way up, hit the microphone stand (I expected the singer to react, but he didn’t really) and then the guy leaped at the crowd (including myself). We all parted. I don’t know if he landed on the floor or what, but the crowd was not too happy about it. Later guitarist Conor Curley asked if that guy who jumped onto the crowd was alright. In retrospect I believe he launched himself at the guy who pushed him (who was standing next to me).
Well, I assumed that was the end of him, but sure enough a couple of songs later he was back at it. He crashed into a camera guy who gave him a real talking to. And then it seemed like he climbed on the corner of the stage and launched himself right at the guy again. This time the guy sort of caught him and threw him to the ground. I was scared a fight would break out, but it didn’t–and the band never stopped for a second. The dancer guy crawled away as people were trying to kick him–he will have lots of bruises to be sure.
I have no idea where security was. Maybe there isn’t any? I don;t know. But suffice it to say it spoiled much of the show for me.
I don’t recall if he also tried to start a pit during the mellower songs like “Roy’s Tune,” but as soon as the tempo picked up he was back at it.
Which is a shame because the band was great. Their whole performance was top notch.
They ran through their entire album (expect opener “Dublin City Sky”) and included one extra song.
I realized how many people knew the band during “Sha Sha Sha” when people were right on it pumping their fists along with the chorus. They were also all over “Too Real” a thoroughly kickass song in which Deegan plays one low guitar notes whole everyone else is making a wall of sound. “Too Real” was also very cool because used a glass bottle to make some extra cool sounds.
But the real appreciation came from “Boys in the Better Land” an undeniably great catchy song. They followed it up with “BIG” an excellent anthem that the whole room sang along to.
And that was it,. They were done in about 45 minutes, which was actually fine by me, since I was still irritated by the guy and really just wanted to leave.
So the whole night was several forms of disaster, which is really terrible because the band was (in retrospect) really great. I wish I had seen them under different circumstances. And actually, I wish I had seen them in a slightly bigger venue. They didn’t really get to move around on such a small stage. I suspect when they come back next time the venue and audience will be bigger. I’m on the fence if I’ll go again..
Having said all that the night ended nicely with two of the band guys recognizing a dude in the audience who had seen them the night before in Brooklyn. They signed the set list and gave it to him (which I took a picture of, and which you can almost read with all the blue).
And here’s a video from Markit Aneight
SETLIST
- Television Screens
- Hurricane Laughter
- Sha Sha Sha
- The Lotts
- Liberty Belle
- Roy’s Tune
- Too Real
- Televised Mind
- Chequeless Reckless
- Boys in the Better Land
- Big
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