CMAT at 3Arena, Dublin on Friday December 5th, 2025

Have you ever really witnessed someone’s dreams come true? It’s a truly rare occurrence, but that’s exactly what 13,500 people witnessed in real time in Dublin’s 3Arena on Friday night as Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson certified herself as a bonafide pop star with the best live show of the year. (And yes, I was at My Bloody Valentine).

From the off, CMAT showed the 3Arena – or should we call it the 3MAT? – that she was ready for such a venue. With a classy slight of hand, her band arrived in dimmed light to the jazzy piano stabs of ‘Janis Joplining’ the closing track from CMAT’s third album ‘Euro Country’ but there was no sign of the “Dunboyne Diana”.

As the crowd squinted to try and find the flame haired star, she suddenly appeared on the venue’s balcony to immense and continued cheers, and she duly dispatched the unusual choice of opener with her trademark playful style.

And just like that we were immersed in CMAT’s magical world, with a giant euro coin emblazoned with the words “CMAT” and “Euro Country” towering above her head she declares “Welcome to the Late Late Gay show” before launching into a sleek version of ‘I Don’t Really Care For You’,  later declaring “this is Country music without the o” ahead of ‘2 Wrecked 2 Care’.

It all goes a bit Spinal Tap as she tries to wake up the ghost ahead of ‘Aw Shoot’ but CMAT proves she can play it straight too, dropping all the hijinks for a heartfelt version of ‘California’.

Support act Fancy Hagood joins her for ‘When A Good Man Cries’ as the set kicks into high gear, his shimmering high range proving the perfect foil for CMAT’s full-throttle delivery.  ‘Tree Six Foive’ sparkles as CMAT shows off her theatrical chops delivering some of it lying down on the stairs.

She takes a moment to highlight the serious problem of people in the comments section casting judgement on her physical appearance ahead of the fuck you-powered hit ‘Take A Sexy Picture Of Me’.

The Very Sexy CMAT band are on point throughout with everybody getting their moment to shine with Jacky Wolter (Penelope Isles) on lead guitar and Daniel Vildósola on slide guitar giving the songs an authentic country feel. But it was Púca (Colm Conlan) on keyboards and dancing duties who shone the most, excelling in the role of John Grant for ‘Where Are Your Kids Tonight?’.

After an emotional rendition of title track ‘Euro Country’, CMAT takes the opportunity to single out Billy Byrne the pigeon fancier from Ballybrack who opens her album and is in attendance tonight. She later spots a Blanchardstown Shopping Centre flag which we establish had been stolen by its bearer. CMAT then teaches us the Dunboyne, County Meath Two-Step ahead of ‘I Wanna Be A Cowboy, Baby!’ (which has even a miserable swine like me joining in).

CMAT was visibly shaken as the crowd broke into “Olé Olé Olé” but managed to compose herself for the final hit of ‘Stay For Something’. She is, after all, an international teen pop sensation. And confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as CMAT.