Cian Ducrot opened his two-night stint in his hometown of Cork with a sold-out show at Live at the Marquee, and from the day this show was announced it was clear this one was going to be a little bit special. The crowd, a sea of red jerseys ahead of the All-Ireland final, were in early and in good spirits despite the rain that had soaked the area earlier in the day. The skies cleared just in time for the music to begin, and what followed was a night full of emotional highs, chart topping tracks, and the kind of crowd connection you only get when someone’s playing to their own.
Outside, the rain had caused flooding in parts of the area, but as if on cue, the skies cleared when Cian appeared on stage. He wasted little time in kicking things off as he dived right in with “Who’s Making You Feel It” and “Little Dreaming.” The stage was a set up of his glistening piano and an array of backing band members. Cian obviously goes all in in every aspect of his life.
There was a powerful rawness to the way he moved through the set, with tracks like “Heaven” and “Can’t Even Hate You” drawing huge reactions from the audience. He wasn’t just performing either, he was talking to the crowd between nearly every track, sharing stories, teasing new music, and getting everyone involved. He taught us choruses from upcoming songs on the spot, encouraging singalongs and even laughing when the timing went slightly off. It was personal and unrehearsed in the best way, and made the crowd feel like they were in on something special.
There were emotional peaks throughout. During “All For You,” he sat at the piano and the entire tent lit up with phone torches. It was a really beautiful moment and there were many tears shed around me, it was like everyone was holding the same moment. Earlier in the set, he stopped to ask who had been through a breakup recently. When a sea of hands went up, he picked out one girl from the front row who had gone through a heartbreak just two days earlier and invited her on stage. He helped her climb onto the piano, asked if she had anything to say, and she just smiled and shouted “fuck boys,” which got one of the biggest cheers of the night.
The party, care-free feeling was only turned up to 90 when he played “Shalalala”. That celebratory aspect was really felt when, without missing a beat, Cian wished someone a happy birthday mid-song. You could tell he was soaking it all in. There were some small frustrations like his in-ear monitor issues or calling his guitar a “shit box.” He later jokingly explained he’s had it since his Cork busking days and hasn’t been able to part with it, even if it doesn’t always behave. That sense of connection to his roots was woven through everything, from his stories to his energy. “Thank you for still listening to my music and believing in me,” he said at one point, and it didn’t come across as scripted or rehearsed, just a genuine, grateful moment between artist and audience.
The setlist pulled from across his discography, from early fan favourites like “Part of Me” to newer tracks he’s still shaping with us in real time. “Your Eyes” and “See It To Believe It” had couples clinging to each other. He showed his musical talent as he kept switching between piano, guitar, and harmonica, adding layers to every track. “I’ll Be Waiting” was everything a closer should be, you could hear the entire crowd singing every word back.
It was a solid first night and a great reminder of how much Cian’s grown as both a performer and songwriter. Between the emotion, humour, and crowd connection and wet socks, it had everything you’d want from a hometown show. Night two’s got a lot to live up to.
Remember Monday photos:
Cian Ducrot photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Who’s Making You Feel It
Little Dreaming
Heaven
Shalalala
Book Of Love
Kiss + Tell
Ain’t No Way To Live
Can’t Even Hate You
What About Love
Hallelujah
All For You (Remember Monday + Free Falling mashup)
Part of Me
Your Eyes
See It To Believe It
_____________________________________
Thank God You Stayed
I’ll Be Waiting
Photos & Words – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography