The Fontaines Kick Off Make Music Pasadena With An Inspired Performance

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One of the first recording artists that followed me on Twitter (@Methodman13) was the the band The Fontaines. I’ve always been keen on their music, but I was never able to find a time to catch them perform live. When I saw their name on the festival’s schedule, I made sure to pencil them in as a band to catch.

They’ve dubbed their sound “new-wop”, which seemed appropriate insofar as their music, at least that which I’ve heard, was stylistically retro. Their newer music, like the song titled “Cold” off their latest EP, however, straddles the new wave and indie rock genres.

Charlotte Fontaine (her brother Hank plays the electric guitar) was a pleasure to watch live. Even with the drizzle falling from the sky, she brightened up the day with her spunky stage presence and her mellifluous voice.

Their groove feels rooted in the classic doo-wop genre that I was familiar with, but there was a edginess to it that gave it a refreshing indie-rock feel. I found myself thinking of Shirley Manson (of Garbage) as I watched Charlotte on stage, perhaps slightly influenced by her pink boots and fur trimmed top that Charlotte was wearing, but more likely because she had a bad-ass confidence she exuded on stage.

The band’s indie-rock credentials were solidified in my book when they performed a very convincing cover of Cold War Kids’ “Hang Me Up To Dry” (see the clip below). A pretty appropriate/ironic song to perform given the drizzle that was falling from the sky.

Their new 4 track EP “ii” was released a few days ago. You should head on over to their one of these social media sites to check it out.

Follow The Fontaines on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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