There have already been plenty of smaller gigs starting up again but this is the first of what could be termed big gigs I’ve attended since lockdown. The Mountford Hall is packed, it feels strange. Full sound and lighting rigs, the like not seen for nearly two years add up to the feeling of other worldliness, then the music starts and it all seems familiar again.
The Altered Hours have a big sound, its gothic and sprawling with much use made of repetition and with plenty of space to develop their musical themes. There’s a hint of psychedelia here as well and half heard melodies seem to float around the Mountford Hall suspended in a mass of reverb and a Jesus and Mary Chain wall of noise.
Fontaines D.C. burst out of the stage, this is fast and furious rhythmically with wild almost sung poetry/lyrics wailing over the top. There’s scant hint of melodies and huge propelling rhythms like Spacemen 3 at their most repetitive and compelling. It’s a groove machine, an angry political, crusading beast that delivers hardly a let up in the momentum.
When they want the band can bring it all down, let it simmer but soon the vocalist is delivering full on again and the music follows. As does the crowd, for a band so full of lyricism its a bit of a surprise to hear nearly all the excellent lyrics being sung back by large parts of the audience.
Big gigs are back (hopefully this will continue) but I feel I’ve attended something more than just a gig after experiencing the Fontaines, something almost religious and highly charged.
Words and photos: RBY
Fontaines D.C. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fontainesband
The Altered Hours Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thealteredhour