Just a few days after the release of their fourth album 'Romance', which is already be heralded as one of the best records of the year and perhaps the band's best offering to date, Fontaines D.C. took to one of Liverpool's newest venues CONTENT for two sold out shows in one night.
Photo Credit: Theo Cottle
As we entered the warehouse-like space for the later show, you could instantly feel an energy that confirmed something special had taken place in that room just a few hours earlier. After a bit of waiting around, the band then emerged on-stage without frontman Grian, opening the show with the gargantuan melancholic drama of the title track 'Romance'. As the eery vocals then emerged into the track, so did Grian, met with a rapture of noise from the crowd as they welcomed what could be the best new frontman in Rock music.
They then dived into album three for a more energetic outburst of 'Jackie Down The Line' that got everyone dancing and singing along before they played through the majority of their new record, matching the finesse of the recorded versions with ease and even elevating them with their moody, laser-focused performance.
Highlights came in the form of the angsty drawls of 'Death Kink', the bouncy Grunge of 'Here's The Thing', the hypnotic dreamscape beats of 'Sundowner' and the Indie anthem of 'Favourite'. However, the performance that really blew us away was 'In The Modern World' as it is such a delicately balanced song that combines cinematic strings and interlaced vocal palettes to the point that it sounds impossible to replicate in the live setting. Yet, they pulled it off big time!
Furthermore, in what was our first ever visit to CONTENT, this track really showcased the beauty of the venue. The repurposed warehouse vibe suited the band's gritty swagger and the nostalgic yearning of the lyrics yet the huge disco ball that spun in the centre of the room, reflecting lights across the crowd in the chorus added a grandeur and visual spectacle to the performance, capturing the more cinematic hope-filled tone of their overlapping melodies.
The double-barrel ender of 'Boys In The Better Land' and 'Starbuster' saw the energy of the room skyrocket as arms flung in the air with some desperately holding onto their vinyl they'd purchased with the ticket. Of course, 'Boys In The Better Land' will always be the first song we think of when thinking of Fontaines D.C. because it was the song that thrust them into the spotlight. However, 'Starburster' well and truly held its own as a finale!
The track highlights both sides of the band's skillsets, lulling you into angelic soundscapes filled with blissful vocals and an expansive instrumentation before spitting you back into into an angst-ridden, grimey world of Post-Punk poetry and infectious energy.
An absolutely wonderful showcase of the new album and a statement performance that cements them as one of our all time favourite live acts.
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