On May 7th, we saw Fontaines D.C. live in Detroit at a sold out show. The original Michigan date on the tour was to be played at the legendary St. Andrew’s Hall, but due to demand, the show was moved to The Fillmore. That demand was evident with a lively crowd ready to see one of the most exciting current rock acts.
The show opened with a performance from Jadu Heart, an English duo joined by two touring members. Starting their performance, they let the crowd know that this was their first time performing in Detroit, Michigan. Met with enthusiastic cheers from the Detroit crowd, the band launched into their set. A month prior, on April 11th, the band released their fourth album, POST HEAVEN. The band played a handful of tracks off this new album, including the frenetic “Mild to Moderate Pain,” “Heaven,” and “AUX.” The talented group switched between multiple instruments, keeping their performance fresh and unpredictable.
While Jadu Heart was performing, a curtain separated the rest of the stage. That curtain fell to reveal a giant replica of the crying heart from the headliner’s most recent work, Romance. This album, a major change from their Irish-centered previous works, brought them a wider new audience and allowed them to craft this dystopic vision.
The band took the stage to the title track, “Romance,” before throwing a curveball and playing four songs from their previous albums. The crowd could not have cared less about the setlist, as they were all enthralled with the energy frontman Grian Chatten brought to the performance. When he threw his arms up, soliciting a crowd response, arms flew into the air with cheers following.
The band played through nearly all of Romance before the end of their set, along with beloved hits like “Big,” “Nabokov,” and “Boys in the Better Land.” After a break, the band returned to play their encore, starting with the slow and moody “In the Modern World.” They picked up the speed with a faster but equally moody “Desire.” For the penultimate song, they went back to their previous album Skinty Fia for the track “I Love You.” And to close the show, they brought out the electric “Starburster.”
The band’s USA tour is over, but upcoming international touring dates can be found here.