CMAT Stuns In Dublin’s St. Anne’s Park

Fresh from winning an Ivor Novello Award and telling Bertie Ahern and Nigel Farage precisely where to go in her acceptance speech – let’s hope that they’re both still busy effing off – Dunboyne Diana is back in Dublin as part of her Euro-Country victory lap.

Talking last week to Hot Press, Booker Prize winner and CMAT obsessive Douglas Stuart described her as having “bravery, principles, morals, a political outlook. She’s an inspiration.”

All of that – and more – are evident tonight as the receives a hero’s welcome from an adoring crowd that ranges from toddlers at their first gig to, er, more senior members of the music press.

Resplendent in a billowing blue number and matching CMAT tights, the cheers as she makes her grand entrance on the front-of-stage catwalk, aka ‘the ego ramp’, are as deafening as the ones that greeted Taylor Swift a couple of years back in the Aviva.

Like Tay-Tay, she's a master of making the big seem intimate and (certain other American performers take note) has the energy needed to run round the stage for two hours at breakneck speed with nary a costume change.

I mention Ms. Swift because on tonight's showing that's the elevated company CMAT is soon going to be keeping.

Accompanied by the Very Sexy CMAT Band who also fully live up to the billing, her voice is as immaculate as it is throughout on the opening 'Tree Six Foive' and 'The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station', which ends in a maelstrom of squalling guitar and its author lying prostate on the floor.

"Oh my god, this is mental" the gorgeous genius says, looking genuinely gobsmacked by the sea of people jumping around in front of her.

A 'Throw Pints At Silly Men' bag is thrown up on stage which CMAT gleefully slings around her shoulder and then, spotting a bride to be in the crowd, she teases: "Why for your hen party would you come and listen to two hours of breakup songs?!"

Whether striking Madonna-style poses, pulling funny faces, freak out dancing or mock shooting the band with her acoustic guitar, this is an artist determined to give bang for buck whilst having the absolute craic. I've compared her in the past to Dusty Springfield, Kirsty MacColl and the young Dolly Parton but now she's just 100% CMAT.

That she has the necessary songwriting chops is evident from 'When A Good Man Cries', a countryfied ballad that tugs so hard at the heartstrings they almost break.

"Pour mommie a glass of wine," she says, switching into Joan Crawford mode and eviscerating the body shaming trolls who can't stand a woman being unutterably herself. The rendition of 'Take A Sexy Picture Of Me' which follows couldn't be any more celebratory or defiant.

The rest of the Very Sexy CMAT Band vacate the stage as Kildare keyboardist extraordinaire Colm Conlan duets with her on a drop dead gorgeous 'Where Are Your Kids Tonight?', the song's haunting refrain floating out on the warm Dublin night air. I don't think I'm the only one dabbing my eyes...

An acoustic 'Such A Miranda' is followed by an unexpected cover of 'Nothing Compare 2 U' which the Sinead disciple succeeds in making her own.

The party ratchets up yet another gear with the double-whammy of 'Euro-Country' and 'I Wanna Be A Cowboy, Baby!' which finally renders CMAT breathless. Another regenerative glass of wine is required before she reflects on a journey that started with her playing pre-COVID to just seven people and now via-Whelan's and the Olympia has taken her to one of the biggest stages in the country.

Just in case anybody missed her Ivor Novello speech, CMAT proclaims, "Refugees are welcome... fuck Bertie and free Palestine, baby!"

After demanding that the hi-vis jacketed security show us their dance moves and them duly complying, CMAT ends a glorious night by leading us through a mass singalong version of 'Stay For Something'.

It's her victory - and ours!