Fontaines D.C. announce second huge 80,000 capacity gig at Slane Castle due to phenomenal demand
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Fontaines D.C. have added a second 80,000-capacity show at Slane Castle in County Meath, after their first date at the historic venue sold out amid "phenomenal demand". The Dublin band will now play the site on both 26 and 27 June 2027, becoming only the third Irish act to headline Slane after Thin Lizzy in 1981 and U2 in 2001, and joining a headliner list that includes The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Queen and Oasis. The announcement caps a triumphant few days for the band, coming shortly after headline sets at Reading & Leeds and Electric Picnic.
Support across the two nights comes from Hayley Williams, Damien Dempsey and Madra Salach, with pre-sale tickets for the new second date already available and general sale opening at 10am on Thursday 3 September. Both shows fall on Glastonbury weekend, prompting speculation over a possible Worthy Farm appearance, though no 2027 line-up has yet been confirmed. The news comes as Fontaines prepare to release their fifth album, "Dopamine Chamber", on 16 October, and ahead of a UK and European arena tour beginning next month, with dates in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham and London.
- Fontaines D.C. add second Slane Castle date, 27 June 2027, after sell-out demand
- Band now joins Thin Lizzy and U2 as only Irish Slane headliners
- New tickets on general sale Thursday; pre-sale already live
New here? Start with this
Fontaines D.C. are an Irish rock band from Dublin who have built a large and loyal following over the past few years through a mix of critical acclaim and growing commercial success. Slane Castle, in County Meath, is one of Ireland's most storied outdoor concert venues, historically reserved for only the biggest names in music, with past headliners including the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Oasis.
Playing Slane is widely seen as a landmark moment for any act, partly because so few artists are chosen to headline there and partly because of its 80,000-strong capacity. Irish bands have rarely topped the bill, making any home-grown headline show a notable event for the band and for Irish music more broadly.
The gigs also sit within a busier period for the band, who have been playing major festival slots and are preparing new music and a wider tour, meaning the Slane shows are part of a broader run of high-profile activity rather than a standalone announcement.
Full account
Fontaines D.C. have confirmed a second concert at Slane Castle in County Meath after tickets for their first announced show sold out amid what organisers described as phenomenal demand. The Dublin band revealed on 1 September that they would headline the historic outdoor venue on 26 June 2027, and less than 48 hours later added a follow-up date for 27 June 2027 to accommodate the level of interest. Both shows are expected to draw crowds of around 80,000, making them among the largest concerts of the band's career.
The announcements followed a triumphant few days for the group, who headlined Reading and Leeds festivals as well as Ireland's Electric Picnic over the same weekend. Support at both Slane Castle dates will come from Paramore's Hayley Williams, alongside Irish artists Damien Dempsey and Madra Salach, with further names still to be confirmed. The Slane booking is a landmark moment for the band, making them only the third Irish act to headline the venue after Thin Lizzy in 1981 and U2 in 2001, joining a roster of past headliners that includes the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Queen, Bruce Springsteen and Oasis.
Tickets for the additional date went on pre-sale from 10am on 2 September, with general sale following at 10am the next day. The timing of the two shows has fuelled speculation about a possible Glastonbury appearance in 2027, since both fall on the same weekend as the festival, which is expected to run from 23 to 27 June. Coverage noted that this would leave the band free to play Worthy Farm only on the Thursday or Friday of that weekend, though Glastonbury organisers have not announced any acts for 2027, meaning any link remains speculative for now.
The Slane shows arrive as Fontaines D.C. prepare to release their fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber, on 16 October via XL Recordings, produced by James Ford as the follow-up to 2024's Romance. The record has been previewed by singles including 'Marianne', 'Six Shot Morning' and 'Happy, For You', the last of which reportedly had to be dropped from the band's Reading headline set due to technical issues before receiving its live debut at Leeds the following night. The Slane announcement also follows a separately confirmed UK and European tour, with dates set for cities including Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham and London in November.
Where outlets differ
NME provides more detail on the Reading and Leeds setlist mishap, including that several songs and an unplayed new track were cut from the Reading show due to a delay, and cites its own four-and-a-half-star review of the Reading gig.
Far Out gives more specific detail on the Reading setlist itself (naming 'Favourite', 'Jackie Down the Line' and 'Starburster') and references its four-and-a-half-star review of the album Romance, whereas NME does not mention a Romance review.
Far Out explicitly frames the second Slane date as the band's biggest-ever show and gives exact Glastonbury 2027 festival dates (23-27 June), a detail NME does not include.
NME embeds the band's own tweet/announcement wording and notes ticket times in BST specifically, while Far Out describes sale times as 'local time' without specifying the time zone.
NME mentions the UK/European tour only briefly as context for timing, while Far Out lists the specific cities on that tour.
More coverage