Live Report: Cian Ducrot at The Academy, Dublin

In an evening marred by delays and technical issues, Cian Ducrot manages nonetheless to capture the crowd with emotional performances and masterful showmanship.

Dublin singer-songwriter Fia Moon opened up the night with beautifully atmospheric instrumentals and captivating vocal performance. The rising star treated the audiences to a number of yet-to-be-released songs as well as stripped-down versions of some of her more well-known single offerings.

Starting the set off with bass-heavy, synth-pop tune 'Waters Run Through', Moon put her vocal abilities to show in a stripped-back version of her single 'XX'.  Upbeat track 'Better Days' proved to be the high point of the set, despite a few technical difficulties which saw her start the song over.

When it was time for Cian Ducrot to take the stage, he wasted no time with an introduction - taking the stage with bombastic energy, instantly getting the crowd moving their feet.

Having spent the last few years travelling between the UK and Los Angeles - where he is signed Interscope/Darkroom - the Academy performance marked the first time Cork native Cian performed in his home country. It was also only the second time he was headlining a show, not that you could tell by his showmanship.

Nowhere could Cian's charisma be seen more than during his performance of Coldplay's 'Fix You'. A last-minute change of keyboard left the artist with a slightly warped organ sound, leading to a few keys sounding off during the performance. Thanks to his easy-going demeanour and conversational approach to the show, what could have been an awkward moment was transformed into a bit of a punchline, prompting laughter from the audience.

While the 23-year-old comfortably joked and engaged with the crowd, he did not shy away from discussing the heavier topics which some of his songs cover. In 'Anyone But Her', for example, Cian tells the crowd about a series of conversations he had with an aspiring musician who lost her voice after an overdose.

The night's highlight came when the 23-year-old abandoned the stage and, making use of the venues intimate space, joined the audience on the floor. Armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar, leaving even his microphone behind, Cian drew in the crowd to him, gently strumming to an unreleased song.

But that wasn't the only yet-to-be-released song the singer gave to the crowd, as he delivered to the Academy a preview of his brand new single 'Hello Gorgeous'. The single was released today.

Cian finished off his homecoming gig with an energetic performance of his single 'Make Believe,' marked by an explosive drum beat and a meaty guitar solo.

You can listen to Cian Ducrot's brand new single below: