How did Fontaines D.C. get their name?
In Dublin’s ever-pulsating city, where the literary ghosts of James Joyce and Samuel Beckett still roam, a group of scrappy poets-turned-rockers had decided to make noise loud enough to carry them across the Atlantic. Originally called The Fontaines, the band decided to switch things up after discovering that there was already a band in LA with the same name. Instead, they opted for Fontaines D.C., a name as bizarre as it is unforgettable.
The name is a tribute to two different influences, one within cinema and the other lying within the band’s upbringing. ‘Fontaine’ was inspired by Johnny Fontaine, the fictional, Sinatra-esque crooner from the 1972 gangster classic The Godfather, while ‘DC’ stands for Dublin City, grounding the band in their Irish roots, despite only one of the band members being from Dublin.
Frontman Grian Chatten was born in Cumbria, England, but grew up in Skerries in north County Dublin. In an interview with The Evening Standard in 2020, Chatten admitted that not being born in the capital had impacted his desire to be a part of it, saying: “Because I was born in England, I always had this sense of non-Irishness, so I’d spend a lot of time and effort on trying to out-Irish and out-Dublin everyone else. It made me learn Dublin more thoroughly than a lot of people who, in comparison, maybe took it a bit for granted.”
The combination of the names sums up the band’s journey perfectly – one of glitz and melodrama while also remaining firmly planted in the immortalisation of their home and music. Their debut album, Dogrel, had an immediate impact, particularly on young people living in Ireland who felt overlooked. A love letter to their hometown, it rattled with a post-punk fervour, its storytelling raw and poetic. The widespread critical acclaim wasn’t just luck. They had clearly hit a nerve, causing them to pack up shop and relocate to London, where they went on to release A Hero’s Death and Skinty Fia, two records submerged in a pool of cultural dissonance and homesickness.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the group have turned another corner with their fourth album, Romance. Produced by James Ford, known for his work with Gorillaz and Arctic Monkeys, the boys shed their skin, swapping out Dublin’s rainy, booze-fuelled streets for a neon, cyberpunk fantasy that feels like a Kubrickian thriller. Romance is cinematic, dystopian, and a radical departure from previous works.
A dramatic change in sound has also brought a change in aesthetics. Gone are the grungy, oversized tees and ill-fitted jeans – instead, they’ve embraced bright, garish sportswear and wraparound sunglasses. Exaggerated and broody, their new style is an amusing nod to the absurdity of commercial fashion trends. Yet, for all the change, Fontaines D.C. haven’t abandoned their poetic tendencies. Tracks like ‘Death Kink’ dissect toxic relationships with a rocky backbone, while ‘Favourite’ softens the edges, driven by a starry-eyed acoustic guitar.
Currently riding the wave of newfound commercial fame, the band have now wrapped up their North American headline tour, playing in iconic venues from coast to coast, with California’s iconic Fox Theatre being a recent stop. The latest music video for their song ‘Bug’ also features Hollywood newcomer and fellow Irishman Barry Keoghan. Directed by Andrea Arnold, the filmmaker has also featured unseen footage from her upcoming film Bird.
Ultimately, Fontaines D.C. are far more than their origins. The group have proven that having a singular identity isn’t really their style, their risk-taking and reinvention have earned them a well-deserved spot within rock history. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a curious newcomer, you can expect to catch them on the remainder of their UK/EU tour this December before a mammoth sold-out show at London’s Finsbury Park next July. Fontaines D.C. are just getting started, and the ride promises to be wild and unpredictable.
