Live Report : Imelda May makes Vicar St crowd well up with 'Black Tears'

Stepping into Vicar Street on a chilly Tuesday evening, the last thing I anticipated was finding myself transported into Imelda May's own sitting room. The stage was transformed into a warm, intimate space, decorated with family photographs from May's childhood and history, an array of dimly lit lamps, a seat or two covered in coats, and a collection of instruments scattered casually on the carpet. I felt as if I had stumbled upon a private gathering, hosted by May herself, who had invited the audience to join her for an evening of stories and songs.

Waltzing onto the stage in a flowing, robe-like dress, a glass of red wine in her grip, May's casual grace, infectious warmth, and sharp, humorous wit instantly transformed the audience. Within moments, strangers became distant relatives, then close friends.

“This is our third night here in Vicar Street, and I've been lucky enough to perform in this fabulous venue for many years,” she said, “But this is the third night that I haven’t played here and run around the corner to my mum and dad's for me dinner before going on stage.” 

Imelda May at Vicar Street on February 9 2026. Copyright Maizy Kharrazian/hotpress.com

May started off her set with a rendition of 'The Rare Old Times', to which the audience members quickly joined in. Throughout the show, May made a point of weaving the history of her Dublin upbringing into every stunning song. She explained how a young Dublin girl could end up playing sold-out shows and sharing a backstage with icons like Noel Gallagher and Jeff Buckley. Her free-spiritedness shone through the lack of a rigid setlist; she'd ask the audience for requests, respond to their shouted answers and jokes, and effortlessly perform anything they named.

“There are loads of songs that get lost along the way, and this is a nice moment to do the song that I don’t get to do,” she said. “This is a good time to strip it back to the roots of the songs. This is how the songs were born. Stripped back and very simple. It’s a night in my sitting room.”

She shared the upbringing that inspired her songs, adding a new perspective and deeper intricacy to them. I was astonished by how quickly May’s voice became the rallying cry for the audience, who came together to cheer her on in a cathartic and emotional moment that felt like a family reunion.

Her songs ‘Black Tears’ and ‘Sixth Sense’ brought the crowd to a quiet halt as they listened to May, as she emanated passion. She traded her signature rockabilly flair for a much more measured and focused exploration of jazz. The performance was as stripped-back as the stage set, featuring only a few guitars and a bass as accompaniment. Her vocals were both powerful and precise, letting out strong riffs that eased in slow stretched out melodies. Her delicate rasp channeled the blues as she hummed and clapped to the sound of the music.

“I called this tour Raised on Songs and Stories because I was raised on songs and stories, and you’d be in the middle of the family, and the singing song would start and you’d be there till 3 or 4 in the morning,” she laughed. “You’d fall asleep on a chair, and someone would just throw their coat on you if you were lucky.” 

Imelda May at Vicar Street on February 9 2026. Copyright Maizy Kharrazian/hotpress.com

Family was central to the evening, with May speaking affectionately about her close relationship with her parents. Her performance of ‘Meet you at the Moon’ moved the audience to tears, as women everywhere related the sentiment to their own mothers. She followed this with a poem for her father, offering a visual window into her childhood. Imelda then asked if anyone knew her father, and arms shot up, sparking a shared, nostalgic exchange of memories between audience members. May could easily orchestrate the crowd's emotions, capable of bringing them from tearful sobs and heartfelt embraces to beaming with collective laughter. 

The emotional peak of the concert arrived when May invited an audience member to sing. A young woman and her father encouraged their mother onto the stage, who initially, in typically Irish fashion, insisted she wasn't worth the trouble. After a few minutes of persuasion and enthusiastic cheering, she relented, took the microphone, and immediately captivated the audience. The powerful gravity and emotion with which she sang a traditional Irish song brought the crowd to tears once more. May and the woman's daughter watched from behind, beaming with pride as the impromptu performance took centre stage. Following this moving moment, May then spoke about her own family, the Troubles, and her relationships, sharing how war, death, and love have inspired her music. 

Mary Stokes, the evening's guest performer, joined Imelda on stage nearing the end of the show. The two singers' playful on-stage banter encouraged deeper audience participation, inviting the crowd to share in the laughter. They fed off each other's energy, making spontaneous, on-the-spot decisions that authentically resurrected the Blues. It was heard just as it was meant to be: in an intimate Irish sitting room, surrounded by familiar strangers all grooving to the same rhythm.

Imelda May's performance was a return to the essence of live music. This journey through songs and stories fostered a shared sense of nostalgia, bringing strangers together through a personal and intimate experience, one I doubt I will soon forget.