Zee Asher
May 8, 2025| Cece Lawless |LIVE REVIEW
Live Review: The La Fontaines, Glass Cheques | The Garage, London | 09/04/2025
Scottish three-piece The La Fontaines kick off their farewell tour in London after a 16-year career. Support came from Jamie (drums for The La Fontaines) and Darren's (guitar for The La Fontaines) new band, Glass Cheques.
Glass Cheques
There’s something really cool about catching a band’s first gig, especially when it doesn’t feel like a first gig. The band strolled onstage with beers in hand and looked every inch the seasoned professionals they are. Jamie and Darren from The La Fontaines unveiled their new project, bringing a tuneful, buoyant energy that felt like a love letter to the early 2000s indie scene. Think Arctic Monkeys meets Cage The Elephant where uncomplex riffs that don’t demand too much, hit all the right nostalgic notes. It was the kind of set that evoked memories of festival fields, sunny afternoons, and the thrill of discovering a new band. The lighting added a particularly gorgeous visual polish to the show, cascading from behind the musicians, accenting the movements of the music.
The lead singer’s voice, a husky, emotive mix, and a departure from the clean, crisp vocals that he usually brings to The La Fontaines when on drums. Stage presence wise, the guitarist in particular was a standout, radiating joy, bouncing with every riff, clearly in his element. There were a lot of guitar pedals for a band of this genre, but the effects didn’t overwhelm; instead, they added subtle depth to what was otherwise a straightforward indie rock sound.
Mid-set, they squeezed in a quick retune before launching into a surprise cover of Yazoo’s ‘Only You’ that felt both familiar and freshly reinterpreted on strings. A valiant first outing for this new project, and hopefully a balm for fans of The La Fontaines.
Glass Cheques
The La Fontaines
Gala’s ‘Freed From Desire’ blasted through the venue as The La Fontaines made their way to the stage, and party vibes filled the room with their arrival. This set the scene for a celebration of a long career and goodbye to a band who, after nearly two decades, were ready to close the book. The crowd were ready to honour the group from the start and when the band appeared to raucous cheers, the energy was nothing short of electric. Vocalist Kerr Okan kicked things off with a classic “How are you feeling, London?” and the roar in response could’ve blown the roof off.
From the first track to the last, the atmosphere was charged. A heady mix of joy, nostalgia, and a bittersweet edge ran through the set. The audience, were reliving every chorus, every lyric, every moment. This wasn’t just a gig, it was a shared memory unfolding in real time. The band were on fire and clearly feeding off the crowd’s energy, and there were smiles all around on stage. Kerr, in particular, was a magnetic presence, high-fiving photographers, diving into the crowd to mosh, and effortlessly turning the show into a semi-stand-up routine. At one point, he joked about the openers Glass Cheques: “We struggled to find a good support act, so we settled for these guys.” and the audience loved the sarcasm.
Dance-worthy tracks brought out a raucous atmosphere, while their slower tracks were accented by soft pink lighting and phone torchlight, which shifted the mood to something tender and reflective. The venue itself felt like the perfect choice, semi-intimate, but able to erupt with sound and emotion. Fans on shoulders, flags waving, a full mid-summer festival vibe took over. It was a celebration, yes, but also a deeply emotional farewell. “Do you feel sad or are you happy it’s over” the frontman asked. The resounding boos made the crowd’s answer crystal clear.
You could tell the band were relaxed, joyful, even relieved. After 16 years, they’d done what they came to do. And tonight, they were here to enjoy it, one last time. When they announced their “last song,” the reaction was instant, loud boos, followed by swelling chants of “The La Fontaines!”. It didn’t take long before the band returned for an encore, succumbing to the audience’s pleading with a smile.
Tonight wasn’t just a goodbye. It was also a hello to something new. The future sound of Glass Cheques awaits, and if this was any indication, the fans are more than ready to follow. But for now, The La Fontaines went out exactly as they should’ve, dancing, laughing, connecting, together.
