Why Fontaines D.C.'s Grian Chatten Wore a Mogwai Football Jersey at Reading Festival 2026
Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten headlined Reading Festival 2026 wearing a green-and-white jersey — a collaboration between Welsh amateur football club Cwmbran Celtic FC and Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. The set was cut short by technical problems, but the band still played Dopamine Chamber preview singles "Six Shot Morning" and "Marianne." Chatten later told BBC Wales the jersey choice was a statement of support for the UK's independent music venues.
The jersey's backstory, and Music Venue Trust
The jersey is part of Cwmbran Celtic's 2026/27 home-and-away kit lineup, launched last month. Alongside Mogwai, the club worked with Super Furry Animals, Panic Shack, and Loose Articles, each contributing a limited-edition design. Proceeds go to Music Venue Trust, which supports grassroots venues and emerging musicians across the UK. The jersey remains available to order online, with 10% of sales donated to the organization.
Chatten told BBC Wales he likes Cwmbran and likes supporting independent venues, describing the club as volunteer-run and sympathetic to the struggles independent venues face. He added: "Also, I love Mogwai."
The club publicly thanked Chatten and said it plans to give him a lifetime season ticket. Co-commercial manager Matt Jarrett said the jersey was passed to Chatten before the festival through a club friend who works as Fontaines D.C.'s monitor engineer — the assumption was he might wear it backstage, not walk onstage in it. Jarrett said preorders have nearly doubled since last Friday.
After Reading: new songs and upcoming tour dates
NME rated the Reading headline set four and a half stars, noting that delays forced the band to cut three songs from the setlist — including, reportedly, one new song never played live — with Chatten apologizing to the crowd before "Starburster." The next day, at sister festival Leeds, the band played new song "Happy, For You" live for the first time. They also performed at Electric Picnic, their first Irish show since the death of longtime manager Trevor Dietz, whom the band has called their "sixth member."
The Dublin band's tour continues later this year, kicking off in Lisbon next month. The UK leg begins November 20 at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena, followed by Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, and London. Two Slane Castle shows have also been announced for 2027, with combined capacity for up to 160,000 across both nights, featuring guests Hayley Williams, Damien Dempsey, and Madra Salach.
What we don't know
- Specific ticket prices or on-sale times for the UK tour dates have not been detailed in the source
- Full setlist changes and the identity of the unreleased new song cut from Reading remain unconfirmed
- Details on the Lisbon tour opener beyond the date are not specified