Gig review: Fontaines D.C. at Motorpoint Arena

We want to start by saying sorry to Sorry who we were unable to catch supporting tonight – luckily, they will be back in Nottingham at The Bodega in May, so be sure to catch them then as we hopefully will, too. Slow service at our pre-show dinner followed by heavily distracting green pints and Fontaines-themed cocktails in Saltbox mean we eventually arrive at the Arena not long before Fontaines D.C. themselves are due on stage. Immediately, it is apparent how much buzz there is around this band right now, with the Arena the fullest I’ve seen it all year. Not only are all the hospitality boxes heavily occupied, but even the blocks of seats right at the back of the venue are packed out, with not even a couple of empty seats visible.

The anticipation is palpable and as the lights go out, screams and cheers echo loudly around the arena. The stage is curtained off, but soon a bright green glow starts to emanate from behind it. The familiar sound and ominous introduction of Romance commences, with Grian Chatten’s inimitable vocals calling out from behind the curtain. As the song dramatically builds and builds, the curtain suddenly drops as the tension reaches its peak, revealing the band and the dazzling, neon- washed stage behind. As Romance concludes, the band then suddenly burst into Jackie Down The Line, causing the first of many singalongs tonight.

It’s a visually impressive set-up from a production standpoint, the stage reflecting the Romance album cover with a light-up motif of their band name and the iconic giant heart hanging above the stage. There's clever use of a simple curtain backdrop, and the lighting throughout the show is utterly mesmerising, too, the vibrant colours seemingly dancing along with the songs. Televised Mind sees the pit open amidst bright luminous spotlights, before the curtains shift to a night sky setting for A Lucid Dream. It’s dazzling to soak inm and the crowd - particularly in the standing section - is fully energised by all the wonderful sensory overload.

As if the visuals weren’t enough, the sonics are spectacular too. The band are a well-oiled machine at this point, delivering hit after hit. Big Shot gets a spicy grunge remix, while the pulsating Death Kink and dreamy Sundowner both get welcomed like tenured favourites, despite still only being a couple of months old. The stomping drums of both Big and A Hero’s Death cause more wild scenes down on the floor, before the sizzling riffs of Here’s The Thing generate the maddest limbs of the night thus far.

It's then time for a breather, with the phone torches beautifully coming out all around the room for Horseness Is The Whatness. The gentleness doesn’t last long though, as the spiralling guitars of Nabokov and frantic chants of Too Real see several separate pits open on the floor, with the lights now hypnotically flashing yellow on the latter. The time absolutely flies by and before you know it, the band close their main set with a euphoric one-two combo of Boys In The Better Land and Favourite.

It's then time for a breather, with the phone torches beautifully coming out all around the room for Horseness Is The Whatness. The gentleness doesn’t last long though, as the spiralling guitars of Nabokov and frantic chants of Too Real see several separate pits open on the floor, with the lights now hypnotically flashing yellow on the latter. The time absolutely flies by and before you know it, the band close their main set with a euphoric one-two combo of Boys In The Better Land and Favourite.

After a reasonable break off stage with the crowd furiously demanding for more, Fontaines finally re-emerge to a huge ovation. In A Modern World kicks off the encore, a song that already feels like an instant classic. It provokes the biggest singalong of the night, with a trippy optical illusion projected onto the Romance heart above the stage. Desire then turns the room fluorescent pink, before Grian Chatten belts out the mind-blowing verses on I Love You.

The captivating vocalist has been a man of few words tonight, with the band opting to cut the small talk and simply run through the songs instead. He finally acknowledges the crowd right at the end, though, offering up four simple statements: “Thank you very much. This is our last song. Free Palestine. God Bless.” It’s all that really needs to be said.

The band finish the night in emphatic fashion, playing the audience out with one of the defining songs of 2024 – Starburster.

This was a blinding, no fuss set from Fontaines tonight. The band just got on with the job, letting the incredible music and stylish production do the talking. With a lot of focus seemingly on nostalgia in the music industry right now, to see Nottingham come out in force for one of rock’s current hottest properties was mightily reassuring. Oh, and one final note to all festival bookers out there – these guys are ready to headline.

Fontaines D.C. performed at Motorpoint Arena on 27th November 2024.

@fontainesband