Fontaines D.C. Enchant Leipzig with Intimate Park Stage Performance

On August 4th, Fontaines D.C. played a sold-out show at the Parkbühne in Leipzig. A relatively small venue that felt almost intimate for the Irish band. Surrounded by trees and accompanied by a pleasant summer evening, a special atmosphere emerged that perfectly matched the band’s sound.

The evening was opened by Irish band Sprints, who brought solid energy to the stage with a 30-minute set. Their blend of garage punk and post-punk immediately resonated with the Leipzig audience.

Fontaines D.C. then started punctually at 8 PM, taking the stage to the recorded intro of “Starburster” / “In Heaven” – a version from the deluxe album “ROMANCE”. They immediately launched into “Here’s the Thing”, a song that instantly created the right mood among the diverse and partly international audience. The set comprised a full 22 songs that evening, including classics like “Jackie Down the Line”, “Televised Mind”, and “Big”, but newer pieces like “Death Kink” and “It’s Amazing to Be Young” were also essential.

Particularly impressive once again was the performance and stage presence of the entire band around frontman Grian Chatten. The band’s evolution, especially over the past year, is noticeable, so it’s hardly surprising that Fontaines D.C. are currently considered one of Ireland’s most successful bands and are generating a real hype. Fontaines D.C. have never been a band of grand words, but a positioned “Free Palestine” from Chatten naturally couldn’t be missing in Leipzig either. As usual, without big announcements, but with a clearly recognisable stance.

The concert ended with “I Love You” and “Starburster”, a show that likely exceeded many people’s expectations of the band by far. At least that’s what could be heard in the enthusiastic raving about the show everywhere when leaving the venue.

After the tour ends in Belfast at the end of August, it remains exciting to see where the journey takes the band next. They’ve definitely earned a break, and then we all hope for new music.

Photos (c) Victoria Krug