Fontaines D.C. have played ‘Demolition’ live for the first time – and used their time on stage to celebrate a monumental student victory over the government in Serbia.
The chart-topping band played at the Hangar luka Beograd venue in Belgrade last night (Wednesday October 28) as part of their ongoing 2026 tour celebrating the release of new album ‘Dopamine Chamber’.
The performance came at an important moment in Serbia’s political history, taking place as a student-led movement won a landslide victory at a recent election, ending Aleksandar Vučić’s 14-year rule over the country.
Vučić, president of the Balkan country and leader of the SNS (Serbian Progressive Party), faced a major backlash after the fatal collapse of a train station canopy collapse in 2024, caused by what some claimed to be corruption and negligence. In opposition to the government, students came together in protest, and eventually formed the “Student List” ahead of the election.
The movement gained increasing momentum and ultimately secured 141 seats at the polls compared to SNS’s 103 seats, ending Vučić time in office (as per BBC News).
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At the Fontaines gig last night, frontman Grian Chatten made a nod to the recent political events and simply said “Victory”, prompting huge cheers and chants from the crowd.
“This is your moment, this is not ours,” he added. ”This is your moment.”
The gig saw the Dublin rockers break out various new tracks from their latest album, including ‘Marianne’, ‘Tongue’, ‘Where Is Gone?’, ‘Happy For You’, ‘Mimesis’, ‘Japan’ and ‘Six Shot Morning’.
They also integrated some older fan favourites into the set, including ‘Romance’ tracks ‘Bug’, ‘Starburster’ and ‘Favourite’, as well as ‘Skinty Fia’ songs ‘Big Shot’ and ‘Roman Holiday’. One of the most memorable moments of the set, however, came when they broke out the first live performance of their recently released song ‘Demolition’.
“I don’t wanna know if you go to the county affair/ Every time you walk, walk with me, know you wish I was there/ Tell me how to feel, what’s the deal? Do I live in your bones?,” Chatten sang, backed by a simple blue light, while his bandmates created a haunting atmosphere behind him.
Check it out below.
The European arena tour opened in Lisbon last week, and continues tomorrow (Friday October 30) in Prague. Other shows include stops in Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and more, before the band head to the UK for arena concerts in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham and London.
Fontaines are also set to play some huge gigs in the UK and Ireland next summer, including two nights at Slane Castle and a double-header at Manchester’s Heaton Park. Support on the UK stops comes from Little Simz and Viagra Boys, with Hayley Williams opening in Ireland.
Festival slots already include a headline performance at Primavera Sound in Barcelona next June.
‘Dopamine Chamber’ was given a glowing five-star review by NME, which hailed it as “an extraordinary record for extraordinary times” and “something pure, honest and feeling”.
Since it was released, Chatten has revealed that he is planning another solo record, and also said that Fontaines D.C. were unaware that AI had been used to help make the music video for ‘Marianne’.
