Fontaines D.C. / English Teacher, Wythenshawe Park. 15th August 2025

Now I’m not one of those people who think music and politics need to be kept apart, I’ve no issue with artists having a voice. Unfortunately, as far as I’m concerned at least, politics is a fucked up reflection of the world right now, with a carousel of idiots in power, ruling over populations where the loudest voices are idiots too and I’ve zero confidence in anyone sensible coming along soon to fix it. The fact that I’m leading my usual bright and breezy review with this clunky caveat, suggests that gloom is on the way doesn’t it, but fear not. I’ll admit I thought about flogging this ticket, but I like Fontaines D.C., English Teacher and The Murder Capital, having watched all three on numerous occasions, as they’ve deservingly risen, particularly in Fontaines case tonight to headline a pretty massive gig. I fucking despise flag wavers though. Nothing good ever came from waving a fucking flag and at Wythenshawe Park today there’s quite a lot of them, not as many as I thought though. I thought it would be overrun. All the bands on the bill have been vocal about the current situation in the Middle East, but none more than Kneecap, who let’s just say I’ve got little time for. But here I am and all this bollocks aside, I’ve arrived today with the Manchester sunshine out in full force on a beautiful day. After a week away, I’m still in holiday mode so this works well, although I’m already diving for shade while we wait for English Teacher. Sorry to The Murder Capital, I tried to get in earlier, but 16:30 on a Friday proved that bit too early. Truth be told they were a late addition to the bill. Originally advertised as Fontaines & English Teacher, it’s this pairing that bought the ticket.

English Teacher slink on to the stage and start with ‘The Worlds Biggest Paving Slab’ and although it’d be an exaggeration to say the crowd go wild. Everyone does get up off the grass and shuffles forward with a buzz of quiet appreciation. It’s still early, but there’s a good crowd filling the space bumper to bumper back to the relay towers and beyond. They sound great as usual, but they’re a slow build band, epitomised on songs like ‘A55’ and the crowd generally nod, mill about and where I am, chatter. I get it, despite the praise they’ve got and the tightness of their live set. They’re not a band for the casual listener or pissed up punter in a field. It’s a shame as you could make a solid argument for them being the best band on the bill. Lily certainly has the best voice of the day by some way and gets to soar on ‘You Blister My Paint’. With ‘Broken Biscuits’, ‘R&B’ and ‘Nearly Daffodils’, it’s a display of their heart and bite in equal measure and they set the bar dangerously high.

So to Kneecap, who don’t even get close. They’re popular for sure with the younger crowd down the front who lap it up, but sorry lads it sounds pretty one trick shite to me. That doesn’t really go with my ‘If you’ve no kind words…’ policy though, so I’ll leave it at that, but I was expecting the place to explode and it doesn’t.

As the sun dips down below the tree line, the real energy it seems has all be saved for Fontaines D.C. The stage lights up in trademark neon pink and green and 35,000 people go crazy as ‘Here’s The Thing’ makes the temperature soar higher. ’Jackie Down the Line’ is what today’s needed. The crowd wake up in full voice and sound glorious. I’m bang centre and the sound is pretty blistering. Close your eyes and you could fool yourself for being indoors. ‘Boys in the Better Land’ highlights this. Always a monster live, I’ve never heard it outside before and it’s magnificent. ‘Televised Mind’ is darkly brooding and you’d think that might not go down so well in a field, but it still kicks albeit at a momentarily welcomed slower pace. Some songs do drift by me a touch, they’re a little more pedestrian. You need to pace a set though, so I won’t be harsh as I get distracted watching smoke rise from the stage into the night sky. ‘Big Shot’ is another ominous banger. That gothic bassline underpinning crisp riffs and a catchy chorus that once again captures me and the crowd. It’s easy to get swept up, but it’s very civilised. I’m sure there’s a bit more jostling further forward, but my vantage point is spot on. ‘Death Kink’s intro sounds like Korn. They’d bang out a convincing cover I reckon, but instead this builds on those sharp stabs with killer indie punk venom. The foot’s back on the gas with the menacing ‘A Hero’s Death’. Honestly it warms my dark solemn heart to hear songs like this lapped up by such a big crowd. They don’t deviate too much in their sound, but there are gears and they shift the set through them deftly. ‘Before You I Just Forget’ being in the bouncy side of the ratio. ‘Motorcycle Boy’ soars grandly. The acoustic guitar and piano going toe to toe as the drums pound. ‘Big’ certainly lives up to its name. A short sharp snarling reminder of how it all started. Tonight really does feel like a moment in the bands history. They might’ve played bigger crowds, festivals etc. but this is their biggest Manchester gig by some distance and they look and sound perfectly at home. ‘Hurricane Laughter’ takes the same blueprint and builds on it. Oddly it looses some who are getting tired or too pissed, but honestly the band sound fucking incredible. ‘Nabokov’ pulls it all together with a mix of The Cure and Oasis in a blend that I didn’t realise I needed until this moment. ‘Desire’ then takes that and throws in some euphoric synths, as a bunch of girls in front of me decide that this the time to squat down for a group wee. A spectacle I could do without. People are up on shoulders for ‘Bug’, possibly in an attempt to avoid standing in piss as we reach the hour mark and ‘Favourite’ takes us into the rather long break, that allows me plenty of time to move through the crowd and get positioned for a swift exit, before they return with ‘Romance’. I’ve been pretty central all gig and the sound has been flawless, but it’s worth noting that out here near the north gate, it’s still staggeringly good and although I’m not now surrounded by thousands of bodies and I’m feeling the cold, this monolithic slab of doom laden ballardry almost steals the entire show with its uncompromising brilliance. ‘In the Modern World’ too isn’t standard encore fodder, but there’s little standard about a Fontaines gig. I’m not sure exactly when this happened, but they’ve grown effortlessly into the sort of band that can not only pull a massive outdoor crowd, but one that can keep them in the palm of their hand with an impressive mix of intelligent songs that sweep, soar, touch, bang and reward a devout crowd. ‘I love You’ sets up ‘Starburster’ to close. This is pure banger territory and a worthy finale to a stunning set. Yes there was some predictable sloganeering that I don’t think I was in the minority feeling to be reductionary and tiresome, but thank fuck I didn’t flog the ticket. Fontaines D.C. are a stunning live band and with support from the equally brilliant English Teacher, this was a cracking night.