Hip-hop and happening here

NAMED in honour of the late Don Fontaine, the voice of thousands of movie trailers, Motherwell’s The LaFontaines are quickly taking on the status of a must see coming attraction of their own.

Since the band formed three years ago, The LaFontaines have built up a dedicated following by taking their energetic live set the length of the country, from Inverness to London, garnering them extra attention from audiences and industry alike.

Recently the band were named Best Live Act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (The SAMAs), an accolade that particularly pleases drummer Jamie Keenan.

"It’s nice to be told you are good," Keenan laughed.

The LaFontaines might already have picked up some suggestions about that, especially when they made their first ever appearance at T in the Park on its new talent T Break stage.

"We were the first band to shut down the T Break tent because it was over capacity," Keenan said.

"For the band on before us, there were only 10 people in the tent and we were thinking this was going to be terrible.

"Then when we went on stage we couldn’t see outside the tent because there were so many people cramming in. They had to bring in extra security, then they closed it to anyone else. That’s our little claim to fame."

Fronted by rapper and MC Kerr Okan, who previously performed solo under the name Prime, The LaFontaines bring a particularly Scottish outlook to pop and rap with lyrics looking at everything from the boredom of the 9 to 5 working life and the pros and cons of social media.

Which is why Keenan feels it is particularly important they are recognised as a live act.

"Because we are a hip-hop band, people go: ‘Scottish rap?’ It’s something they can’t really get their heads around," he said.

"It’s something you have to see live."

The LaFontaines — who even had plans to work with the real Don Fontaine before his death intervened — have been taking their music much more seriously over the past couple of years as the prospect of making a career from their music became increasingly likely.

Their more focused approach does seem to have paid off for them. As well as T in the Park they have appeared at RockNess and supported such acts as The Ting Tings and Twin Atlantic on tour and opened for other acts such as Pendulum, Example and N-dubz.

"RockNess was our first main festival appearance, and that was just fantastic," Keenan said.

"We’ve got the Wickerman Festival in Galloway this year and I’m going to be in my hippy element for that one — I’m growing my hair especially."

Appearing in Wick, Thurso and Inverness next week as part of a tour promoting forthcoming single "Light Up the Background", released on 18th June, the band will be back in the far north again when they headine the first day of Bfest in August.

However, the band have plenty of experience of entertaining Highlanders.

Keenan reckons Wednesday’s Ironworks show will be their fourth at the venue where past shows include supporting Twin Atlantic and being part of the goNorth showcase, which returns to the Highland Capital at the beginning of June.

"Because we’re not big enough to play to the full room, they’re making a little stage for us on the floor," Keenan said.

"We’ll be right up against the audience. It should be good!"

• The La Fontaines will be at The Newmarket Bar, Thurso, on Monday 28th May and The Blackstairs Lounge, Wick, on Tuesday with support from Fridge Magnets at both venues, before appearing at The Ironworks on Wednesday with support from north band Be Like Pablo.