News : Fontaines D.C. announce intimate surprise London ‘Romance’ album release show

Fontaines D.C. have announced an intimate surprise gig in London for the release of their new album ‘Romance‘.

The band took to their social media accounts to announce the show earlier today (August 19). They will take over London’s Electric Ballroom on Thursday (August 22) in celebration of their fourth album which is set for release the following day (August 23). Tickets are sold out but fans can join the waitlist on Dice in case any new tickets open up.

‘Romance’ marks the band’s first release under their new label home XL Recordings (pre-order/pre-save here). So far, the band have released ‘Here’s The Thing’ as one of the album’s singles earlier this month (following on from ‘Starburster’ and ‘Favourite’), complete with a horror-inspired video. Their next and final single from the LP, ‘In The Modern World’, will be released tomorrow (August 21).

In a new interview with NME, the band’s Grian Chatten spoke about the band’s new album, which he described as their “most expansive and full album” to date. On the process of making the album, Chatten told NME: “To be creatively understood by too many people feels like flies settling all over your clothes and all other your face. Every now and again you have to fucking shake them off, just to see who you are again. That’s what we wanted to do.

“We spoke a lot about visual references, films and stuff like that. I’m not even messing, but we used to speak about: ‘What kind of weather is it in this song?’ We could meet on a plain that didn’t have anything to do with music, arrangements or instruments. It’s more about abstractly getting to the right place. I think it’s more interesting to work in that way because you’re at less danger of sounding contrived or unoriginal.”

In a five star review of the band’s fourth album, NME said: “Where predecessor ‘Skinty Fia’ was steadfast in communicating its central themes (from guilt and disillusionment to new beginnings), ‘Romance’ takes its time unravelling.

“Part glowing love song, part troubled revelation, ‘In The Modern World’ foregrounds dystopian imagery against a muted hallucinatory haze. A desperate, self-lacerating urge to destroy is wrapped up in some futuristic sheen on ‘Starburster’: “I wanna take the truth without a lens on it / My God-given insanity, it depends on it,” Chatten spits breathlessly, as though he’s a single chord change away from melting down entirely.”

In other news, Fontaines D.C. will perform on the main stage at Reading & Leeds 2024. This will be followed by their 2024 UK and Ireland headline tour, which is set to take place in November and December. That stint includes two nights at Alexandra Palace in the capital.

That isn’t it for their live shows either, as last week the group also unveiled news of a huge outdoor show at London’s Finsbury Park, due to take place on Saturday July 5, 2025. It will mark the Irish band’s biggest headline performance to date, with support coming from Amyl And The Sniffers and Kneecap.

Find a full list of upcoming tour dates below, and visit here for any remaining tickets.

Fontaines D.C.’s upcoming UK and Ireland headline dates are: 

NOVEMBER 2024
20 – The Halls, Wolverhampton
22 – Alexandra Palace, London
23 – Alexandra Palace, London
24 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
26 – Pavilions, Plymouth
27 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
29 – Aviva Studios, Manchester
30 – Aviva Studios, Manchester 

DECEMBER 2024
1 – Aviva Studios, Manchester
3 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
4 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
6 – 3Arena, Dublin
7 – 3Arena, Dublin

JULY 2025
5 – Finsbury Park, London