Fontaines D.C.: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Ann Powers | May 17, 2022
Filmed in Chicago’s beautiful brick Irish American Heritage Center during a recent tour, this four-song set begins with Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten in the stacks at the center’s library, playing a button accordion and singing the mordant ballad “The Couple Across the Way” as cellist Maureen Dunne and violist Isaac Henry accompany him. An emotional touchstone on the band’s latest album, "Skinty Fia," it’s a taste of an unfinished Fontaines project: the Irish group originally planned to release a double set with half traditionally-styled tunes and half the searing, atmospheric post-punk that makes this third LP the band’s best.

But we won’t stay here in the quiet, unsettled heart. Chatten ambles over to the library’s open area, where the band is set up alongside members of the Northwestern University Choir to perform “In ár gCroíthe go deo.” The eerie blend of the choir’s harmonies and the band’s droning, building rhythms moves this music from storytelling to poetry. The song is a keen: an Irish lament for a dead woman whose family wanted the song’s title phrase inscribed on her grave but were thwarted when officials in their English hometown demanded a translation. “Gone is the night, gone is the day,” Chatten sings through gritted teeth as the choir and his bandmates chant those lost Irish words. Another library corner offers a dynamic shift, as Carlos O’Connell leads the tender, drifting “Big Shot” with delicate keyboard. Then it’s back to the noise with “Nabokov” — the perfect tune for tearing up an archive — and a final surprise sends the set into happy chaos.

SET LIST
“The Couple Across The Way”
“In ár gCroíthe go deo”
“Big Shot”
“Nabokov”

MUSICIANS
Grian Chatten: vocals, accordion
Carlos O'Connell: guitar, keyboard
Conor Curley: guitar, backing vocals
Conor Deegan III: bass guitar, backing vocals
Tom Coll: drums
Maureen Dunne: cello
Isaac Henry: viola

Choir:
Tom Avery
Joe Blanchard
Emily Ann Brooks
Peter Carroll
Martina Cavard Blanco
Mariana Leone
Maddie Mazzella
Emily Somé
Jackson Owen
Olivia Whitmer

CREDITS
Produced and Directed by Jamie Fleischel and Josh Modell
Cameras by Corey Lillard, Matt Carroll, John Sedivy
Recorded by Chris Butterworth
Monitors by Mat Acreman
Audio mixed by Dan and Orla Carey
String arrangements by Violeta Vicci
Vocal Consultant: Melissa Foster
Thank you to the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Video Producer: Kara Frame
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Tiny Production Team: Bobby Carter, Joshua Bryant, Michael Zamora, Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer
VP, NPR Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#NPRMusic #TinyDesk #FontainesDC

[minimajjo]

Met Carlos two days ago, such a lovely lad, he was leaning back on my car and I put the window down and chatted for a while, then took a picture. I love this band.

[The_KlaVra]

I loved that they didnt choose the big big singles and decided to go with the deep cuts of Skinty Fia... Its truly beautiful...

[michaelgibson]

I think Grian's going to become a truly iconic frontman.

[carolineb]

An iconic tiny desk. So dynamic in all ways. That version of Big Shot is unreal, the whole set just left me with shivers

[_guillermo]

This version of Big Shot is sonic gold.

[CzaarCoree]

I almost cried listening to The couple across the way, didn't know Grian play the accordion on that tune

[moutonvincent]

And that power outage came perfectly in the rhythm of the song. Love how they react and how Carlos seems really disappointed. Shows how into the song he was.

[LukasTriad]

"Nabokov" is so much a powerful sound that it shut down the building. Nice to see these alternate versions of "The Couple Across the Road" and "Big Shot". And a shout out to the choir (would be veeeery nice if they had sang the sweet "Daze ya, Phase ya, Happy daAaAaAaAaAays ya" as well).

Fontaines D.C is a huge band.

Skinty Fia :D

[JMWproduction]

This is the greatest music discovery I have had for the last 5-10 years. Post-punk so familiar, yet so ridiculously original. I love them

[seattlemylove]

Jesus, that first song. I can't help but cry, it's such a haunting melody and beautiful message. That last line "maybe they look through to us and hope that's them in time". How do I do anything besides lay here and listen to this on repeat.

[cjsilvestremusic]

Amazing growth for Grian's singing! My god this performance brought me to tears. So proud and so happy for this band's success! Truly well deserved! They are one of a kind and the most special band of the decade.

[rippedupmagazine]

The power outage just shows how explosive Nabokov is!!! ❤️‍🔥💥 I was lucky to see Fontaines live in Brooklyn, and their performance was so powerful

[PentameronSV]

0:00 - *The Couple Across The Way* (3:40 / 4:02)
4:32 - *In ár gCroíthe go deo* (10:06)
10:28 - *Big Shot* (13:55)
14:12 - *Nabokov* (17:21)
[17:45 - Tiny Desk team]

[marwaunordest]

Very positively surprised by Conor Deegan's vocals on Nabokov, sounds great and powerful!!
Also very cool they kept in the edit the moment when the power goes off, adds to the whole thing's authenticity and spontaneousness 👌

[ferguskerrigan]

Couple across the way is easily one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and that was my opinion before watching this video... This version is perfect

[sagemushroom]

This has to be one of the best tiny desks to date!

[mcratsix]

The few lines from The Couple Across The Way where Grian puts more emotion in. Mental how much that got to me

[patrickseary]

His singing has improved ten fold, beautiful

[crazykidsforever]

This is amazing from and outstanding band that makes me proud to be Irish, the best thing in music for a long long time, here to stay for a long,

[aidanlyons]

I just discovered this, Fontaines DC fan, so proud how they started, every song gets better every time you hear it. Little intricacies, I'm from Dublin so that makes feel so proud. Tom the drummer came one of the few only Gaelige speaking areas in Ireland & I love how they incorporate our Irishness in the music. Mostly there just a deadly band as Grian's tattoo says 🇮🇪🧡🤍💚🇮🇪🎵