Watch Kurt Vile Join Fontaines D.C. on Stage for Roman Holiday at La Route Du Rock
Fontaines D.C. brought out Kurt Vile during their set at the La Route Du Rock festival in Fort de Saint-Père, France, on August 15, 2026, to perform their track “Roman Holiday” live together on stage.
Festival Collaboration at La Route Du Rock
Closing out the final night of the French festival, Dublin band Fontaines D.C. shared the stage with Kurt Vile, who had performed earlier in the day alongside his band, The Violators. The collaborative performance of “Roman Holiday” marked a notable crossover moment for the two acts, both of whom previously contributed to the 2021 Velvet Underground tribute album I’ll Be Your Mirror. On that project, Fontaines D.C. contributed “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” while Vile covered “Run Run Run.” Bassist Conor Deegan III told NME at the time that it was “class” to be connected with Vile on the project.
The shared stage appearance carried extra weight given the origin of the song. “Roman Holiday” appeared on Fontaines D.C.’s third album, Skinty Fia, released in 2022. Speaking to Rolling Stone around that album’s release, frontman Grian Chatten explained that the track was substantially inspired by observing Vile’s relaxed demeanor at a festival in Croatia two years prior.
“I’d say that song was quite inspired by Kurt Vile,” Chatten told Rolling Stone. “I saw him play in Croatia two years ago when we were playing there and I envied him. The sun was going down and he was able to stand there and chill out. We spend 10 minutes before going on stage slapping each other in the face. I envy someone who can send a text to his kid, go off on stage and them just play really well.”
Setlists and New Material Previews
During their festival-closing performance, Fontaines D.C. delivered a set spanning their catalog, alongside recent preview tracks. The band played:
- Boys In The Better Land
- Here’s The Thing
- Jackie Down The Line
- It’s Amazing To Be Young
- Televised Mind
- Roman Holiday (with Kurt Vile)
- Big Shot
- Nabokov
- Before You I Just Forget
- Big
- Bug
- Hurricane Laughter
- Roy’s Tune
- Marianne
- In The Modern World
- Favourite
- Six Shot Morning (Encore)
- I Love You (Encore)
- Starburster (Encore)
Recent concert staples “Marianne” and “Six Shot Morning” — both introduced during the band’s initial 2026 headline gig — featured in the performance. These live debuts coincide with preparations for the group’s fifth studio record. Although definitive release dates and particulars remain under wraps, members have repeatedly verified ongoing writing sessions. Bassist Conor Deegan III told NME in February of last year that writing is a constant state for the group, noting, “It’s one of those things where we can’t stop writing – it’s something that we just do when we’re with each other.” Guitarist Carlos O’Connell added further confirmation to NME in January, stating, “We’ve been writing, it’s been fun. We’re at Reading & Leeds and there are a couple of shows before that. I think if the music is there, it could get busy.”
Tour Schedules and Recent Context
The La Route Du Rock performance follows a poignant period for the band, marking a return to the stage after the death of their manager Trevor Dietz, whom the members characterized as “the sixth member of the band.” Their first live return following his passing took place during the BBC’s final live session at Maida Vale earlier this month.
Aside from their primary album projects, Fontaines D.C. has maintained a busy schedule of releases over the past year, releasing the standalone track “It’s Amazing To Be Young” this February, contributing a cover of Sinéad O’Connor’s “Black Boys On Mopeds” to War Child’s Help(2) compilation, and providing music for the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man soundtrack.
Kurt Vile released his 10th studio album, Philadelphia’s Been Good To Me, in May. Following his guest spot in France, Vile is scheduled to perform at the End Of The Road festival in Wiltshire next month.
Fontaines D.C. will continue a brief run of European tour dates across France, Switzerland, and Austria before topping the bill at Reading & Leeds at the end of the month. They will then return to Ireland to headline Electric Picnic on August 30.