Fontaines DC Joins The Pogues
Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten joined The Pogues on stage to perform “Streams Of Whiskey” in Dublin last night (December 17). Check out the footage below.
- READ MORE: The Pogues: “DC’s Fontaines are carrying their own torch and Kneecap is without precedent”
Celebrating A Milestone
The Pogues played a special concert at the 3Arena yesterday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut album Red Roses For Me (1984), along with a host of guest vocalists.
Following the death of Shane MacGowan last year, the current line-up of the Pogues consists of singer Spider Stacey and founding members Jem Finer and James Fearnley. Vocalists on the night included Nadine Shah, Lankum’s Daragh Lynch and John Francis Flynn. Fontaines drummer Tom Call also performed as part of the live band.
Towards the end of the main set, Chatten sang “Streams Of Whiskey” from “Red Roses For Me,” written by the late McGowan. You can watch a fan video of the moment here:
Grian Chatten sings ‘Streams Of Whiskey’ at the Pogues party in Dublin tonight 🇮🇪
🎥 Greg Fitzsimons pic.twitter.com/kzt25YertI
— The Rock Revival (@TheRockRevival_) December 17, 2024
Chatten paid tribute to McGowan after he died aged 65 last November. “Goodbye North Star,” he wrote. “I will always love you.”
In 2020, Fontaines DC shared a cover of the traditional song “I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day”, made famous by Irish band The Pogues.
Last month, The Pogues announced their first tour in 13 years – and first since McGowan’s death – to mark the 40th anniversary of their second album, 1985’s Rum Sodomy & The Lash.
The upcoming trek, scheduled for May 2025, will include a performance at the O2 Academy Brixton in London, as well as stops in Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle. Remaining tickets can be found here..
Talking to NME, Spider Stacey recently recalled how Fontaines DC had a hand in The Pogues’ packed show in London in May this year, which then led to a full live tour in 2025.
- READ MORE: Shane MacGowan 1957–2023: An uncompromising and chaotic man, one of a kind
“The Rum Sodomy & The Lash shows grew out of the Red Roses For Me anniversary shows that were not part of the band,” Stacey said to NME. “Tom (Call, drummer) from Fontaines DC was doing an Irish music weekend in Hackney in May and wanted to do something to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Red Roses…, so he got me involved and off we went.”
James Fearnley added: “It grew organically from people wanting to see and hear us, rather than us imposing on someone else what we think is worth celebrating.”
Stacey also called Fontaines DC a “fantastic band” who are “carrying their own torch” among the new wave of Irish bands.
“And Kneecap – Irish-language rappers – are without precedent,” he added. “If you’re talking about bands like Lankum and The Mary Wallopers, it’s a different story because it’s more like the Pogues – hearing them do what we do in their own way is exciting. All these groups are huge.”
Elsewhere in the interview, The Pogues addressed the culture wars surrounding their popular Christmas song “Fairytale Of New York.”
Meanwhile, Fontaines DC recently wrapped up their UK and Ireland ‘Romance’ tour in 2024 with two sold-out shows at Dublin’s 3Arena.
The band is due to play huge outdoor shows in London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Cardiff in 2025. They have also been confirmed for next year’s TRNSMT festival and will be touring the US in the spring.
You can find remaining tickets here (UK and Ireland) and here (US).
Elsewhere, the Grammy-nominated “Romance” came in at No. 2. NME on the list of the 50 Best Albums of 2024, where it was praised for its “unmatched level of ambition and sheer brilliance”.
The album’s lead single, “Starburster”, ranks third in the Top 50 Songs of the Year.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-fontaines-d-c-s-grian-chatten-perform-streams-of-whiskey-with-the-pogues-in-dublin-3823324?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=watch-fontaines-d-c-s-grian-chatten-perform-streams-of-whiskey-with-the-pogues-in-dublin
