An intimate outdoor setting is a rarity, especially in Dublin, yet this is what St Anne's Park offered to those in attendance at Cian Ducrot's gig on Friday evening.

Hidden away by a wall of full trees, fans hurried to the stage as early as 6pm to catch a glimpse of Ducrot's supporting acts and fellow Munster musicians KingFishr and LYRA.

LYRA supporting Cian Ducrot live at St Anne's Park, June 7th. Copyright Jason Doherty.

This is one of the first things that caught my eye: the sea of red Munster jerseys proudly embracing the southern lineup. The second was the diversity of the crowd: kids hitched up on parents' shoulders with dripping ice creams in hand, young couples and groups of 50-something-year-olds trying desperately not to spill their pints as they made their way through the swarms of people.

Cian Ducrot live at St Anne's Park, June 7th. Copyright Jason Doherty.

Disco cowboy isn't usually a phrase I would use to describe a 26 year old man from Cork, but considering the singer's choice of apparel – flannel tee, sparkly blue neckerchief, orange sunglasses, blue converse and enough rings to make a tarot card reader jealous – I feel as though it's an appropriate expression.

Joined by his band, Ducrot wasted no time and immediately kicked things off with 'Coming Home', an unreleased and fast-paced track.

He was urged-on by the crowd, as they bellowed supportive phrases and held up homemade signs reading "I have waited 195 days for you".

Ducrot was just as enthusiastic, as he jumped into the pit during his lively performance of 'Victory' and made his way through the masses, microphone in hand asking the age-old question "Dublin how we feeling tonight?!"

Cian Ducrot live at St Anne's Park, June 7th. Copyright Jason Doherty.

The singer-songwriter showed off his diverse musical – and acrobatic! – talents as he hopped onto the piano during his performance of 'Endless Nights', before whipping out a flute to play what can only be described as a mini-trad session on stage completed by bandmate Hannah on the fiddle.

Cian Ducrot live at St Anne's Park, June 7th. Copyright Jason Doherty.

And yet, this was only the first surprise of many. Ducrot debuted three more unreleased tracks, 'Strangers with Memories', 'Hallelujah' and 'Break my Heart', all of which showed off his impressive vocal range. He kicked things up a notch when he rapped at an impressive pace during a vibrant rendition of 'People'.

The cake-taking moment came when he welcomed Kodaline's Steve Garrigan to the stage. The pair revelled in the crowd's shock, egging them on with a handful of false starts before diving into the classic, slowed down and, in this case tear-jerking, 'All I Want'.

Ducrot, evidently high from the screams of the crowd, dived back into the pit, this time drawing a tattoo for a megafan and insisting that he take the BeReal of a girl up the front. It was at this point the two women beside me burst into tears exclaiming: "He just seems like such as down to earth lad."

I'd have to agree with them. It can be difficult for artists to avoid looking as if they're on a pedestal, up there on stage, and yet this is exactly what Cian Ducrot manages to do, emphasising his own vulnerability and humanity.

You get a real sense of who he is and what he's like; he asks you questions and waits for an answer; he explains how grateful he is to be there – and it's impossible not to believe him as the crowd chants the timeless 'Olé' - our weird little Irish way of showing affection at gigs.

Cian Ducrot live at St Anne's Park, June 7th. Copyright Jason Doherty.

Ducrot finished off the night with a three song mini-set, establishing the tone for an emotional conclusion as he dedicated 'Here It Is' to Nicole, a long-time fan who sadly passed away following her long-time battle with cancer.

This was followed by a soft version of 'All For You', which saw Ducrot feature on the piano one more time, before driving into a crowd favourite 'I'll Be Waiting'. As the multitudes sang along they very nearly overpowered Ducrot himself, before the song segued into a dramatic epilogue and the lights went dark, signalling the end of the night.

Cian Ducrot live at St Anne's Park, June 7th. Copyright Jason Doherty.

The old "there wasn't a dry eye in the place" cliché applies here, or at least that was my observation as I made my way through the crowd. If you plan on catching Ducrot at the upcoming Sea Sessions festival, here's our Top Pro Tip: bring tissues!