Foals @ Trinity Summer Series, Dublin 02/07/2019

Foals returned to Dublin on the back of a triumphant surprise performance at Glastonbury, bringing London-trio Yak for support.

The Trinity Summer Series went big this year with their bookings, with Vampire Weekend, Janelle Monae and of course Foals, just to name a few, with the latter quickly selling out their night on the famous university’s grounds.

Yak have grown a strong following back in the UK and it was about time they gained exposure in front of a large Irish crowd and show them why. A gritty rock sound, with pulsing riffs, rumbling drums and frontman Oli Burslem’s erratic vocals, a sun-soaked Dublin were shaken as they rammed songs from their two albums down their throats.

Their sophomore album, Pursuit of Momentary Happiness was released earlier this year and with tracks like ‘Bellyache’ and ‘Fried’ along with tracks from their 2016 debut Alas Salvation, it was an invigorating performance.

Foals have been going from strength to strength since their debut Antidotes was released in 2008. Continuing to bring something new to the table with each record, while smacking you hard with that distinctive edginess that has come to define Foals.

Their ambitious project Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, has seen them reach new heights with the second album from the project due out this October. Part One got top marks in our review and those songs went up another level on stage.

Opening with the funky ‘On the Luna’, the party mood washed over Trinity’s cricket pitch. It was a journey through a back catalogue of Foals’ heavy-hitters, both literally and emotionally. Entrancing the crowd with ‘Red Socks Pugie’ from their debut, unleashing mayhem with ‘Providence’ from their third record Holy Fire. Then going on to breaking hearts with the devastatingly beautiful ‘Spanish Sahara’ from Total Life Forever.

Frontman Yannis Phillippakis looked like a man on a mission throughout the night as he thrashed around the stage and constantly headed down to the barrier, launching himself into the crowd as far as security would let him.

Phillippakis saw just how rowdy the crowd were and expected nothing less when telling the packed cricket pitch:

“Dublin is always fucking rowdy, there’s no better place to come and play a show than in Dublin after Glastonbury,” he declared.

After closing out the initial set with the breathless ‘Inhaler’, the Oxford quartet returned and gave an insight as to what to expect from Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2. Rumoured to be called ‘Black Bull’, the new track is an aggressive and in-your-face track.

The aggressive nature of the encore continued with an explosive rendition of ‘What Went Down’. That was followed by the mosh-pit inducing ‘Two Steps Twice’, which as the gargantuan closing moments were about to kick off, Yannis issued a battle cry as he shouted “here we fucking go…”.

Songs packed with a punch and a band bursting with confidence, they gripped their audience from the start and didn’t let go till the very end. It was a performance that will live long in the memory of those that were lucky enough to grab a ticket.

Foals are at the top of their game right now and while this year they were a surprise addition to Glastonbury, it wouldn’t be a shock if for the festival’s 50th edition that they are one of the headliners.

Check out the gallery below for more pictures.