By 8:00pm, the rain had already thrown in the towel. It was Friday, and the damp, sultry air was wafting through the trestles underneath the J/M/Z subway line in Williamsburg. A steady stream of people were making their way to the tiny venue Baby’s All Right, tucked neatly next to the bridge. Earlier in the day, Irish singer-songwriter CMAT posted “The show is still happening!” to her Instagram, and the small venue was by now filled wall-to-wall with an excess of bubbling excitement and anticipation.

CMAT (who’s name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson), was performing a sold out show in Brooklyn, but took the stage with confidence and a charisma that radiated excitement through the venue. “I hope it’s okay that I’ll need to sit down for the first bit here” she said as she took a seat before beginning her set with a stripped back version “Nashville,” an ernest, emotionally charged and cathartic tune that beautifully paints the colors of change and heartbreak boldly on the wall. It was a fitting opening.

CMAT’s music is the real deal—earnest, irresistibly catchy, and laced with a sharp dose of humor and wit. It’s this delightful blend that turns her songs into an absolute blast to groove to.

Before she embarked on a refreshingly minimalist rendition of her track “Peter Bogdanovich,” we found out that CMAT had her own flesh and blood among the audience—an added layer of warmth and familiarity that cocooned us in a cozy embrace of family and community. Her stage presence was equally as entertaining as the setlist, which featured tracks from her latest EP Stay For Something, and other from debut LP If my Wife New I’d Be Dead.

Whether you were a die-hard fan or a newcomer to CMAT’s musical universe, the electric atmosphere pulsating through the crowd at Baby’s All Right vividly showcased the enchanting grip she held over her audience. It was a living testament to the contagious energy coursing through her songs, leaving everyone present with an unforgettable night etched in their hearts and a melody in their souls.

Words by Conor Rooney