Review: Cian’s Cork concert has his loyal fans ‘Dreaming’

On Sunday evening, before his gig at Live At The Marquee, there was a lot of talk of Liam (MacCarthy) and All-Ireland regret, but after the show, the only four-letter name on the audience’s lips was Cian and a feeling of optimism.

Cian Ducrot played the second of two sold-out dates there, which was also the start of his latest world tour, in support of his second album ‘Little Dreaming’, which is released on August 1.

The tour is already due to last until the end of the year, and judging by him and his band’s performance, they are destined to be playing larger and larger gigs well into 2026.

Cian has always been a discerning mix of razor-sharp musical intent mixed with heartfelt and emotional lyrics, with a set mixing some of his established songs from his debut ‘Victory’ album and his upcoming one, Cian and his band leaned into many styles of music, amongst the anthemic earnest songs he’s made his name with there was celtic mysticism and trad with him playing low whistle; riff heavy stadium rock, featuring a lead guitarists solo-ing stand on top of a piano; and almost-show tunes in songs such as ‘Little Dreaming’.. and who knows, such is the ambition of Cian Ducrot, perhaps he’s already working on a Broadway musical of his life.

His own life is never far from the content of his songs, and he spoke about being bullied as young person, “and wishing his younger self busking on the street could see him now.”,

Cian continued to say he’d love everyone to know what it took him a while to learn “just be you, do what you want.”

Some of the songs being played hadn’t been heard by the audience yet, but Cian was quick to teach the choruses to the audience.

While the songs here were received delightfully by citizens by the Lee, you could see them equally resonating with citizens in LA. The huge applause at the end just about made everyone forget about Croke Park.