Fontaines DC

Music Venue Trust has teamed up with The National Lottery to help to #ReviveLive music in Grassroots Music Venues across the UK this summer with a star-studded lineup of once-in-a-lifetime and one-off events and special performances. It’s all about bringing friends and communities back together and getting money back into our Grassroot venues.

The National Lottery is kindly supporting artists and crews to get out playing Grassroots Music Venues in front of audiences, getting us all back in our spiritual homes. Live music venues aren’t just about the shows, they are spaces that allow friends and strangers to celebrate, sing, fall in love with music and discover new artists. Every ticket is buy one get one free when you purchase a lottery ticket, allowing you to bring a friend and share an unforgettable experience.

On the 21st of July at Northampton’s Roadmender the Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery put on the sensational Fontaines D.C. with Willie J Healey warming up the crowd. Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. formed in Dublin in 2017. The band consists of Grian, Carlos, Conor C, Conor D and Tom. It was their first live show since COVID19 at normal capacity really showing “life ain’t always empty”. The Grassroot music venue Roadmender was covered in disco balls and wonderful vibes, a unique venue with a big thank you mural for the NHS as we queued up to get into the building and reflected on how far we have come. We touched down like ‘the boys in the better land.’

Being back in a busy live venue with my best friend was a sensory overload. The lights, sounds, waiting at the busy bar for a beer in a plastic cup, moshing and getting covered in beer, making friends, and singing to strangers. It was truly overwhelming and felt almost spiritual/druglike with the post-punk Irish poets singing verses of deep realities in today’s world. The setlist was a masterpiece from start to finish from beginning with “Hurricane Laughter”, “I Don’t Belong”, “Chequeless Reckless”, “Big, Lucid Dream”, “Roy’s Tune”, “Oh Such A Spring”, “Television Screens”, “Televised Mind”, “Sha Sha Sha”, “You Said”, “Too Real, A Hero’s Death”, “Boys”, “Liberty”, “Dublin City Sky” and “I Was Born”.