Fontaines D.C., Aviva Studios. 1st December 2024

Another gig, another new venue. Tonight is my first time inside Aviva Studios, for a gig anyway. I was due in here a month or two back for Gogo Penguin, but got myself double booked, so my Aviva Studios debut instead goes to Fontaines D.C. Despite the signal loss, this venue is great. Side loading the space makes such a huge difference. It feels big, but it’s a mid-sized room, Academy sized but a lot easier to get in to. It’s a breeze to bag a spot near the front and with this many people that’s pretty impressive. It’s sold out and very busy, with a very young crowd. When Sultans of Ping are singing about the joys of playing football with your friends on the warm up tape, no one sings along, no one even moves or seems to clock it. Absolute disgrace. Kids today. They’re excited for Fontaines D.C. though. As the band tease their entry, the first wave of bass is immense. The distortion on ‘Romance’ sounds gorgeous from behind a giant curtain lit in green. The singing is instant and hits fever pitch on ‘Jackie Down the Line’ as the curtain drops and the place explodes. Two screens come to life too which is nice and unusual for a venue this size. No expense has been spared it seems. Even the toilets are decent. We’re only getting started but I’m already blown away. ‘A Lucid Dream’ provides a little breather after ‘Televised Mind’. They sound deadly trapped inside this box. ‘Roman Holiday’ too has some space in it, it’s more chilled indie as Grian dances around the stage. ‘Big Shot’ then mixes both the bombast with the subtle as harmonious verses give way to a mammoth chorus with chunky bass riffs. ‘A Hero’s Death’ even gets a bit shoegazey as vocal duties are shared and keys are introduced. Things soon kick off again as the drums pound and limbs fly. Some bands you can’t help feel get a bit lost on stage, unsure of themselves. Not this lot, they sound and look confident in what they’re doing. Not to objectify them but they look brilliant too. It’s been far from sedate but it goes off for ‘Here’s the Thing’ as the pit finds its feet. It’s a bouncy bastard for sure. Grian’s sunglasses are off too ironically as the heat rises. The cure-esque ‘Bug’ makes a shout for my set highlight. It’s perfection with that rolling bass, the drums are sublime and the brooding guitar melts over the top. Phenomenal. The place is bouncing before the drums ever come in on ‘Boys in the Better Land’, it’s joyous carnage. Sweat flies, people jump, fall, get lifted up. Bizarrely an umbrella is put up then thrown across the pit. Someone’s clearly checked the forecast and decided it’s surplus. There’s a little call of “Fuck the Tories”, before the jangly indie pop of ‘Favourite’, the bloke behind me declaring it’s “Better than that Palestine shite”. The epic ‘Modern World’ then brings us back with the encore, after a break long enough for me to expect a costume change. It’s slow but monolithic and the room is once again in full voice. I’m not sure this room has stopped singing all set. It’s impressive. As ‘Desire’ builds I’m left thinking I didn’t realise just how much I like Fontaines D.C. They’re not a band I’ve obsessed over, chased around, bought records, but live they’re fantastic. ‘I Love You’ is a great example of how powerful a live band they are. The room is captivated, as am I. I think it’s the lyrical streams that flow blissfully, especially on ‘Starburster’ with its deep groove it’s easy to get lost in. But that’s it. It’s not a short set, but I’m left wanting more. Always a good sign. I’m looking forward to seeing them again next summer and coming back to Aviva Studios too.