{"id":668889,"date":"2026-10-29T13:54:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/668889\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T13:54:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:54:08","slug":"watch-fontaines-d-c-play-demolition-live-for-first-time-as-band-hail-student-victory-over-government-in-belgrade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/668889\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch Fontaines D.C. play ‘Demolition’ live for first time as band hail student victory over government in Belgrade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fontaines D.C.<\/a> have played \u2018Demolition\u2019 live for the first time \u00a0\u2013 and used their time on stage to celebrate a monumental student victory over the government in Serbia.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> celebrating the release of new album \u2018Dopamine Chamber<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n

The performance came at an important moment in Serbia\u2019s political history, taking place as a student-led movement won a landslide victory at a recent election, ending Aleksandar Vu\u010di\u0107\u2019s 14-year rule over the country.<\/p>\n

Vu\u010di\u0107, president of the Balkan country and leader of the SNS (Serbian Progressive Party), \u00a0faced 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 \u201cStudent List\u201d ahead of the election.<\/p>\n

The movement gained increasing momentum and ultimately secured 141 seats at the polls compared to SNS\u2019s 103 seats, ending Vu\u010di\u0107 time in office (as per BBC News<\/a>).<\/p>\n

View this post on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

View this post on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

At the Fontaines gig last night, frontman Grian Chatten<\/a> made a nod to the recent political events and simply said \u201cVictory\u201d, prompting huge cheers and chants from the crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is your moment, this is not ours,\u201d he added. \u201dThis is your moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gig saw the Dublin rockers break out various new tracks from their latest album, including \u2018Marianne\u2019<\/a>, \u2018Tongue\u2019<\/a>, \u2018Where Is Gone?\u2019<\/a>, \u2018Happy For You\u2019<\/a>, \u2018Mimesis\u2019, \u2018Japan\u2019 and \u2018Six Shot Morning\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

They also integrated some older fan favourites into the set, including \u2018Romance\u2019 tracks \u2018Bug\u2019, \u2018Starburster\u2019 and \u2018Favourite\u2019, as well as \u2018Skinty Fia\u2019 songs \u2018Big Shot\u2019 and \u2018Roman Holiday\u2019. One of the most memorable moments of the set, however, came when they broke out the first live performance of their recently released song \u2018Demolition\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t wanna know if you go to the county affair\/ Every time you walk, walk\u2005with\u2005me, know you\u2005wish I was there\/ Tell me how\u2005to feel, what\u2019s the deal? Do I live in your bones?,\u201d Chatten sang, backed by a simple blue light, while his bandmates created a haunting atmosphere behind him.<\/p>\n

Check it out below.<\/p>\n

The European arena tour<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Fontaines are also set to play some huge gigs in the UK and Ireland<\/a> next summer, including two nights at Slane Castle<\/a> and a double-header at Manchester\u2019s Heaton Park<\/a>. Support on the UK stops comes from Little Simz<\/a> and Viagra Boys<\/a>, with Hayley Williams<\/a> opening in Ireland.<\/p>\n

Festival slots already include a headline performance at Primavera Sound in Barcelona next June<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Dopamine Chamber\u2019 was given a glowing five-star review by NME<\/a>, which hailed it as \u201can extraordinary record for extraordinary times\u201d and \u201csomething pure, honest and feeling\u201d.<\/p>\n

Since it was released, Chatten has revealed that he is planning another solo record,<\/a> and also said that Fontaines D.C. were unaware that AI had been used to help make the music video for \u2018Marianne\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n