“For me, you’re the best band out there at the moment,” explains Elton John to Grian Chatten, the lead singer of Fontaines D.C. Some might say that rock hit its peak last century, but Irish band Fontaines D.C. is bringing a fresh perspective to the game. In August of 2024, the band released Romance, their fourth record. Since then, the response has been explosive with Romance being one of the best-selling records of the year, receiving Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Music Performance. Why have artists like Elton John and the world resonated with Fontaines D.C. so deeply? The secret lies within their poetic songwriting and exhilarating live performances.
Fontaines D.C. was formed in 2014 at the BIMM Music Institute in Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of vocalist Grian Chatten, drummer Tom Coll, bassist Conor Deegan III, guitarist Conor Curley, and guitarist Carlos O’Connell. The band members shared a love for poetry, music, and literature, and by combining these elements they created Fontaines D.C. They rehearsed and performed for a couple of years before releasing their debut album, Dogrel, in April 2019. Dogrel was highly anticipated by the public, and after its release, the band grew steadily in popularity. Following Dogrel, Fontaines D.C. released an album every 2 years: A Hero’s Death (2020), Skinty Fia (2022), and Romance (2024).
Being from Dublin has a significant impact on the band’s lyricism. Chatten often explores themes of Irishness in songs, whether that is the darker political side featured in “I Love You,” or the pure and innocent devotion for the country in “Dublin City Sky.” Fans are in awe of the appreciation the members have for their country, so much so that listeners can feel it. Through his poetic songwriting, Chatten can connect with listeners by pumping lyrics full of emotion and identity. “There are some bands more about aesthetic or what their music can represent to people…but the really rigid songwriting was important to us,” states Deegan in an interview with Est Radio.
Along with stellar songwriting, Fontaines D.C. leaves quite an impression when performing live. I saw them at the Warfield in San Francisco last year; it was one of the most high-energy shows I’ve seen. Fans of Fontaines D.C. are some of the most passionate and dedicated fans I’ve been around, shouting every lyric of each song back to Chatten. The band opens with the title track, Romance, with Chatten singing a verse of sickly lyrics from backstage before he appears onstage. Meanwhile, the ground shook and lights flashed green when O’Connell pumped his synth machine. The energy in the pit flowed from song to song, reaching its high point during “Boys in the Better Land” with people moshing and crowd surfing. The show closed with “Starburster,” leaving the crowd buzzing on the highest note. From the floor bouncing to the echoing vocals and instrumentals, I wouldn’t hesitate to see Fontaines D.C. a second time.
Fontaines D.C. is working towards playing Romance all over the world during their Romance Tour. The band has a grueling schedule that ends around the middle of 2025. Many artists face burnout by this point, but despite this, Fontaines D.C. isn’t afraid to voice the importance of maintaining their mental health on tour. “We started working with a personal trainer and a therapist…we want to make [being in a band] sustainable as a career,” says Deegan in an interview with SoCal Sound.
2025 is a big year for Fontaines D.C. as they wrap up their tour and play festivals around the world. Romance released at the end of 2024, yet fans are already hungry for another release. In an interview with MusicNewsWeb, O’Connell stated: “We want to do one [album] every 2 years.” Following the current timeline of an album every 2 years, the earliest fans can predict new music to come is 2026. However, the band has noted the significance of living in the moment, especially with the release of Romance. Chatten explained that “I’m not anxious to have the next [record] done. I’m kind of enjoying being in this one.”
Fontaines D.C. ‘s Romance has proven to be one of the best rock records of 2024 through constant praises by other artists and the public, so as long as Fontaines D.C. brings their passion and raw energy to the music scene, rock will never fade into history.
