Fontaines D.C. win BRIT Award for International Group Of The Year
Fontaines D.C. have won the BRIT Award for International Group Of The Year 2023.
The award comes on the heels of another triumphant year for the band, which saw them release their third album “Skinty Fia” to widespread critical acclaim, landing a #1 position on both the UK and Irish Official Albums Charts. In the months that followed, Fontaines D.C. have performed at an array of packed EU / UK festivals, which included a headline slot at Latitude Festival, a powerful return to Glastonbury Festival, and an unforgettable main stage set at Reading Festival. The band also toured extensively, playing to over 60K people on a sold-out UK headline tour including three sold-out nights at Hammersmith Apollo, as well as across the US, Europe, and Australia, where the band are currently.
Guitarist Carlos O’Connell, who is currently in the UK in anticipation of the birth of his first child, accepted the award on behalf of the band, who all made an appearance via video link from Australia. Speaking to the audience O’Connell said:
"I'm having my first kid in 10 days now. My heart is fuller than ever, bringing life into this world and making sure that life is full of joy even though this world is hard and difficult." He added: "I'm happy to be here to celebrate that and to celebrate friendship. They’re my best friends in the world."
The award follows Fontaines D.C.’s 2021 BRIT Award nomination for the same title and last year’s win at the NME Awards where they were named Best Band In The World. The band are also currently nominated for Irish Album Of The Year for “Skinty Fia”, Irish Artist Of The Year, and Irish Song Of The Year for “I Love You” at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2023.
Following this win, the band continue their live dates with two headline shows in Japan, before heading out on a US tour supporting Arctic Monkeys. Dates are as follows:
Tour dates
February:
17 FEB 2023 / JP / Osaka / Club
18 FEB 2023 / JP / Tokyo / O-East
August:
25 AUG 2023 / US / Minneapolis, MN / The Armory *
26 AUG 2023 / US / Minneapolis, MN / The Armory *
27 AUG 2023 / US / Chicago, IL / United Center *
29 AUG 2023 / US / Clarkson, MI / Pine Knob Music Theatre *
30 AUG 2023 / CA / Toronto, ON / Budweiser Stage *
September:
1 SEP 2023 / CA / Toronto, ON / Budweiser Stage *
2 SEP 2023 / CA / Montreal, QC / Bell Centre *
3 SEP 2023 / US / Boston, MA / TD Garden *
5 SEP 2023 / US / Philadelphia, PA / TD Pavillion at the Mann *
7 SEP 2023 / US / Columbia, MD / Merriweather Post Pavillion *
8 SEP 2023 / US / Forest Hills, NY / Forest Hills Stadium *
9 SEP 2023 / US / Forest Hills, NY / Forest Hills Stadium *
11 SEP 2023 / US / Alpharetta, GA / Ameris Bank Amphitheatre *
12 SEP 2023 / US / Nashville, TN / Ascend Amphitheater *
13 SEP 2023 / US / Nashville, TN / Ascend Amphitheater *
15 SEP 2023 / US / Austin, TX / Moody Center *
16 SEP 2023 / US / Fort Worth, TX / Dickies Arena *
18 SEP 2023 / US / Morrison, CO / Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
19 SEP 2023 / US / Morrison, CO / Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
20 SEP 2023 / US / Salt Lake City, UT / Vivint Arena *
22 SEP 2023 / US / Seattle, WA / Climate Pledge Arena *
23 SEP 2023 / US / Vancouver, BC / Pacific Coliseum *
24 SEP 2023 / US / Portland, OR / Moda Center *
26 SEP 2023 / US / San Francisco, CA / Chase Centre *
27 SEP 2023 / US / Sacramento, CA / Golden 1 Center *
29 SEP 2023 / US / Los Angeles, CA / The Kia Forum *
30 SEP 2023 / US / Los Angeles, CA / The Kia Forum *
October:
1 OCT 2023 / US / Los Angeles, CA / The Kia Forum *
*Arctic Monkeys support dates
Tickets are available HERE
Stream / buy “Skinty Fia” HERE
Fontaines D.C. are:
Conor Curley (guitar), Carlos O’Connell (guitar), Grian Chatten (vocals), Conor Deegan III (bass guitar), and Tom Coll (drums).
Keep up with Fontaines D.C:
Web / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook / TikTok
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Selected press for Fontaines D.C. and “Skinty Fia”:
“An instant classic” - The Times ★★★★★
“This is Fontaines D.C.’s best album yet.” – Rolling Stone UK ★★★★★
“a breathtaking collection” - NME ★★★★★
“They’ve made their best album yet” – Dork ★★★★★
“the band’s ability to spin a tongue-in-cheek turn of phrase into an anthemic chant-along is as strong as it’s ever been” – Upset ★★★★★
“Very few rock bands are doing hooks as well as they are right now” – DIY ★★★★★
“they’re not only here to stay, but here to dominate” - The Line Of Best Fit ★★★★★
“Fontaines seem just to get better” - The i Paper ★★★★★ - Album Of The Week
"the crowning point of a career that is, excitingly, still in its infancy." - Music OMH ★★★★★
“Skinty Fia is the real deal” - The Arts Desk ★★★★★
“It’s a fantastic album” – Uncut ★★★★½
"the band’s best offering yet." - Gigwise ★★★★½
"an emotional and transformational force." - Loud & Quiet ★★★★½
"It’s the masterpiece they’ve been working towards from the start"
- Louder Than War ★★★★½ - Album of the week
“a creatively fearless band with boundless potential” - Guitar ★★★★½
“Instant-classic” - The Observer (Artist of the Week)
"The real triumph of Skinty Fia is that Fontaines D.C.’s most musically adventurous and demanding album to date is also its most open-hearted" - Pitchfork (8.0)
“It’s clear just how acute this band’s understanding of the balance between art and heart has become” – MOJO ★★★★
“compelling” - The Guardian ★★★★ - Album Of The Week
“the new kings of rock” - The Telegraph
Album Of The Week - Sunday Times Culture ★★★★
“a band which has already matured into one of the very best.” - London Evening Standard ★★★★
“Fontaines DC are one of the most thought-provoking and charismatic guitar bands around today” - Financial Times ★★★★
“Skinty Fia is another triumph for this era’s most vital group.”
– Record Collector ★★★★– New Album Of The Month
“the record confidently stretches the band’s sound to fill a stadium stage, without sacrificing their compelling friction between surly grit and romantic yearning” - The Independent ★★★★
“Powerful and probing” - CLASH ★★★★
“Skinty Fia reaches new levels of lyrical and musical evolution.” - CRACK