Live Report: Sombr wins over Irish audiences with a very special 3Arena Paddy's Day show

It’s no secret that music discovery has evolved with the introduction of social media. Beyond the chance game of flipping radio stations and striking gold, heeding record store recommendations, or the inescapable influence of parents' taste, most people these days fill their playlists with whatever is trending on the algorithms.

For the last two years or so, the reigning earworm puppet-master has been none other than 20-year old New Yorker, Shane Boose, known better as Sombr. You might recognise him from ‘Back to Friends’ or ‘Undressed’, or perhaps his most recent single ‘Homewrecker’, which arrived early last month.

His debut album I Barely Know Her, dropped in August, and Sombr's Dublin show came as the final stop after a worldwide run (with support coming from pop singer-songwriter Charlotte Lawrence). The Monday-night gig was his biggest headline show to date, and sold-out with ease. To put the incline of his rise into perspective, Sombr's last gig in Ireland was a support slot for Nessa Barrett at the 3Olympia last May.

The 3Arena filled up in due time, with bedazzled signs and blinking cowboy hats prepped for the highly anticipated show. The stage was set up as a vintage talk-show to match his '12-12' music video starring fellow TikTok darling Addison Rae.

Sombr appeared in a shimmering light green blouse and a knitted tri-colour scarf tied around his 6 foot 7 frame, delightfully in spirit for Paddy’s Day eve.

He geared the crowd up with 'i wish I knew how to quit you', (yes written in all lowercase because this is 2026), taken from the famous Brokeback Mountain monologue. Transmitting devastation is one of his strongest tools, with the majority of his songs coming from a place of heartbreak.

Of course, the sea of phones in the crowd made sure not to miss a single beat but, regardless of attention span punchlines, he never lost hold of the audience.

"I want everyone in here to jump when I say so," he commanded. "You're never too cool to jump!"

And we weren't, seeing as the entirety of the 3Arena seemed to lift off its foundation upon request.

Before performing 'Undressed', Sombr expressed his graciousness to his Irish audience.

"The last time I was here, 'Undressed' had just come out. I'm pretty sure Ireland was the first country where the track to hit No.1 actually," he said.

"I remember passing by the 3Arena and thinking "wow that place is fucking massive." I told myself that maybe by my third, maybe fifth time coming to Dublin, I'd play here. And here I am, less than a year later. That's insane."

Aside from charisma and of course, vocal talent, he showcased flawless rhythm through an effortless display of dance moves. With the mere batting of an eye, he'd jump unpredictably from centre stage to set pieces to speakers.

Just as chaotic as his movements, Sombr rotated seamlessly from soul to pop to rock, emphasising that as this is only the start of his career, a wide range of opportunities stand before him.

His energy never dwindled.  Though he did take few breaks to refuel along the way, specifically with a ceremonial "split the G" challenge. His entire band participated, though several opted for downing the entire pint within the mere seconds allowed.

As if he was really trying to make a bid for the Irish passport, he brought out some very special guests, The Cranberries' Noel and Mike Hogan, for a soulful rendition of 'Linger'.

This wasn't out of the ordinary for him, with previous shows boasting special guests such as Niall Horan and Joe Jonas. Still, you could tell this performance stood as a powerful pinch-me moment for Boose, as he stood in complete disbelief.

The night concluded with all the trappings of stardom, a well-earned, roaring standing ovation, and of course, confetti canons forbidding the mood from diminishing.

Sombr gave his all, though the final glint in his eye hinted he has much more in store for upcoming summer festival slots, one of which includes a performance at Electric Picnic in August.