Live Report: Fontaines DC and Kneecap put on major Belfast performance made up of righteousness and resistance

There isn’t a spare ticket to be found at Belfast’s Boucher Road Playing Fields as Kneecap and Fontaines D.C prepared to take to the stage for a gig where either act would’ve comfortably ranked as headliners.

On this occasion, Kneecap are on stage first, where a hometown audience greets them, and the rain holds off enough for the sun to peek out from over the West Belfast mountains (no distance from where Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap were brought up). As far as momentous occasions go, Kneecap have had no shortage of them in the last 18 months - whether it be the release of their debut album, the premiering of their award-winning film, or making international headlines for their uncompromising stance on Israel’s genocidal war against Palestine. But you imagine that this gig is particularly momentous too - they’re on local ground and the field has filled up already with 40,000 people trying their hardest to pack to the front.

Kneecap supporting Fontaines D.C at Belfast Vital. Copyright David

They kick things off with the sound of ‘3CAG’ blaring from the speakers, before launching into ‘It’s Been Ages’, a song about their propensity to “make the front pages” with whatever antics they pull. (The fact that the DUP and Alliance both objected to this very gig gave them some fuel for the fire, and they mention this fact - and thank both parties for the attention - in their set). By ‘Amach Anocht’, the crowd is in the palm of their hands, and by ‘Sniffer Dogs’, DJ Provai is out from behind the decks, firing them up even further. The bass grooves of ‘Better Way to Live’ come out next, as does Grian Chatten (who hardly needed to travel far to be a special guest for the song). Kneecap then plays their new track, ‘Sayonara’, which goes over well with the crowd ahead of its official release next week.

Kneecap supporting Fontaines D.C at Belfast Vital. Copyright David

The latter half of the concert is reserved for their biggest crowd pleasers. A heavy amount of moshing goes on for ‘Fine Art’ and ‘Rhino Ket’, while everyone in the audience seems to know the lyrics for ‘Guilty Conscience’ and sings them with gusto. After, there’s a sea of attendees climbing on top of others’ shoulders for ‘CEARTA’, where, again, the crowd knows Kneecap’s debut song word for word.

The trio of ‘Get Your Brits Out’, ‘H.O.O.D’, and excellent recent single ‘The Recap’ sees out the night in style. Rarely has a band seemed so calm and assured in the face of a rapid rise to fame and endless global controversy - but Kneecap’s level-headedness is exhilarating. They make it look easy.

Kneecap supporting Fontaines D.C at Belfast Vital. Copyright David

The night isn’t strictly about music either. For both Kneecap’s and Fontaines DC’s gigs, messages on screen highlight the now indisputable facts about Israel’s actions in Gaza, and make appeals for a free Gaza. Both acts have been prominent in highlighting the issue from the beginning, and they have been strong music ambassadors for the idea that Irish people aren’t afraid to raise their voices about international humanitarian issues.

Fontaines DC need absolutely no introduction. They slingshotted to the forefront of rock music six years ago with their debut album and have fired on all cylinders since then - emerging as a compelling live band, a pioneering alt-rock group, and acclaimed poetic lyricists. 2024’s Romance album was their biggest yet, and added a dozen hits to their already sizeable music catalogue. Indeed, the best compliment you can pay Fontaines D.C. is that they simply have too much music to play in any one set. And, with the news that this Belfast show will be the last of their year, you might be forgiven for wondering if they’re going into the studio to work on making even more music…

Fontaines D.C at Belfast Vital. Copyright David Sloan

They kick things off with ‘Here’s The Thing’, and the crowd’s energy levels aren’t given a moment to slump following the break between Kneecap and them. ‘Jackie Down The Line’ and ‘Boys In The Better Land’ come next, with the latter being the one that really wins the crowd over. After ‘Televised Mind’ is ‘Roman Holiday’, where the crowd breaks out in dancing.

The opening of ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’ gets the biggest initial cheer of the night, while ‘Big Shot’ is maybe a bit too post-punk to get everyone in the audience onside. They’re brought back onside, however, with ‘A Hero’s Death’, with its ready-made singalong chorus and “bap-bap” backing vocals.

Fontaines D.C at Belfast Vital. Copyright David Sloan

The band dedicate their next song - new single ‘Before You I Just Forget’ - to their crew, following over 150 shows together during which they’ve all but perfected their live stage presence. Grian’s voice is then brilliantly rousing on ‘Horseness Is The Whatness’, managing to access the direct beauty of lyrics like “Can someone find out what the word is/That makes the world go round?/I thought that it was love’” even in front of a crowd this large.

There’s a smattering of old favourites in the second half of the set, including the indomitable ‘Big’, the punishing ‘Hurricane Laughter’, and the song that arguably set them off on the path they’re currently on, ‘Liberty Belle’. In the midst of this is an absorbing version of ‘Desire’, and the most applauded song of the night, ‘Favourite’, which they touchingly dedicate to Kneecap.

Fontaines D.C at Belfast Vital. Copyright David Sloan

The band slips off for a bit before coming back to do a four-song encore (meaning 23 songs in total - a real treat during a time when too many good acts are being economical with their music). The encore starts with the smouldering, crescendoing ‘Romance’ - a song which ends with its skin-peeling wall of sound. Then ‘In The Modern World’, which is dedicated to Lewis Capaldi. They reserve ‘I Love You’ and ‘Starbuster’ to the end (a great choice, since in my humblest opinion, these are the best songs they’ve ever written). ‘I Love You’ is delivered with such a lacerating mix of adoration and scathing criticism that you’d be convinced Grian Chatten could move anyone’s heart and mind if he had them in the room long enough and the band with them. ‘Starbuster’ is deeply complex lyrically, but with a crowd of this size, it’s all about the chorus - and 40,000 duly do that sickening intake of breath after Chatten delivers the “I’M. GON’. HIT. YOUR. BUSINESS. IF. IT’S. MOMENTARY. BLISSNESS.” A phenomenal way to close any gig.