Fontaines D.C. have just wrapped their North American tour in suitably poetic fashion — by debuting ‘Before You I Just Forget’ live for the first time in New York City.
No fuss, no grand announcement, just dropped it in the middle of their final Hammerstein Ballroom set like it was always meant to be there.
The track, which appears on the deluxe edition of Romance, is one of the softer cuts in their catalogue — a slow-burn shimmer that let the crowd breathe for a moment, sway a bit, and collectively lean in. No mosh, no mayhem — just a beautifully bleak comedown.
It’s a fitting moment for a band that’s been building towards this strange, cinematic weight for years now. They’re not the scrappy post-punk poets from Dogrel anymore. They’re stretching out, pulling their sound through shoegaze, dream pop and the kinds of emotional landscapes that feel more Lynch than Lydon.
“Like never being able to step in the same river twice,” said bassist Conor Curley of the song. “It morphs and changes, finishing with an incredible string part by Grian.” The live performance landed like a slow-motion punch to the ribs.
The band are keeping the pressure on through summer, hitting major festivals like Primavera Sound and Rock Werchter, and headlining arena-sized shows in London, Manchester, Cardiff and more. And yes — they’re teaming up with Kneecap in Belfast for a massive homecoming-style gig that’s already got the DUP in a tizzy. Naturally.
That August 29 show at Boucher Road Playing Fields sold out in under 30 minutes — despite calls from Unionist councillors to cancel the whole thing over Kneecap’s “offensive” Coachella antics. If that’s not a reason to go, we don’t know what is.
Between this deluxe release and their upcoming festival run, Fontaines D.C. are in that sweet spot — ambitious, loud, and dangerous enough to still piss people off.
And live, ‘Before You I Just Forget’ proves they haven’t lost their grip on the quiet stuff either.
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