In the midst of what feels like one of the most brutal heat waves the greater Philadelphia area experienced in recent memory, two bands descended on the city much like the blistering sun rays. The TD Pavillion at The Mann is located near Fairmount Park on the outskirts of the city and last night (September 5), the outdoor venue welcomed Arctic Monkeys and Fontaines D.C. who stopped by as part of The Car Tour. As part of the North American leg of the tour, Arctic Monkeys brought some of their biggest hits and deepest cuts for a career-spanning setlist that only brought more value and artistry to their already colorful sonic world.
The Mann is an impressive facility boasting two stages, Arctic Monkeys took over the larger TD Pavillion for a nearly-sold-out show. There were an estimated 12,000 fans in attendance but The Mann made it feel like the opposite with plenty of lawn seating available as fans packed every inch of the venue for a glimpse at Alex Turner and company. The heat felt unaffected even as the sun set behind the stage just as Fontaines D.C. walked in front of the massive audience.
If you have a bucket list of bands to see before you die, add Fontaines D.C. to that list immediately. The young Dublin-bred post-punks were able to captivate the audience from the jump and introduce those ignorant to their fiery brand of music. The crowd was in a frenzy attempting to find the best possible seats but Fontaines’ chaotic performance ironically corralled the crowd and brought all eyes upfront. The band ripped through stand-outs like “Televised Mind” and “Jackie Down The Line” with the live aspect adding some extra edge to their melodic thrashing. While only on stage for a quick eight songs, Fontaines D.C. put on an unforgettable show and quickly won over an insatiable crowd.
Arctic Monkeys traversed their discography in a grandiose fashion at their stop in the City of Brotherly Love. Their veteran status was on full display as the band emerged with a stirring performance of the swanky “Four out of Five”. Frontman Alex Turner is nothing short of an all-star showman, his stage presence demands your full attention as the rest of the band shreds through classics like “Crying Lightning” and “Arabella”. Turner does something strange with his voice when performing life taking an almost slow-motion approach to even the most up-tempo Monkeys’ tunes. This cabaret-style vocalization makes sure you hear every word over the masterful arrangements and adds a refreshing take to songs we’ve all had on repeat for years on end. Pairing Turner’s live vocals with songs like “505” and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?”, the latter receiving a new, almost jazz-style arrangement for the live show, adds new meaning to these radio hits.
Arctic Monkeys performed under a giant, expensive-looking mirrorball but only used it for “505”, which was ironically performed right after “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball”. The band came out for a three-song encore which included a cosmic performance of “One Point Perspective” and a neck-breaking take on “R U Mine?”.
Check out the full setlists below:
