Irish sensation, Cian Ducrot, heads to O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester to kick off the start to the UK leg of The Dreamship Tour.

PEDRO SANTOS

Up-and-coming Portuguese musician Pedro Santos opens the night, a former member of the band Here At Last, now paving his way as an unsigned solo artist. It was evident that Pedro is no stranger to the stage from the Here At Last days… And for Santos, the only way is up. 

He opened his set with an unreleased track, immediately making a strong impression as a punchy drumbeat and melodic keys filled the room. “Manchester, make some noise!” he calls out, and the crowd respond with energy, clapping in unison to the rhythm.

The venue fills with the synchronised clapping of the excited fans. Leading onto his next song, another unreleased track, with a heavy bass beat and a kicking drum powering the chorus. Santos finishes by thanking the crowd and saying, “That was fucking fun”. Pedro’s set concludes with Someone I Don’t Know, his debut single, which was released in June. Pedro Santos makes quite the exit with vibrant instrumentals, with pink and blue lighting encapsulating a feeling of love, and Pedro’s powerful vocals soaring to a stunning finish.

CIAN DUCROT

A dramatic entrance set the bar high for the rest of the show, with Cian clicking his fingers as he walked onto the stage to a beat, accompanied by lighting that matched the rhythm, and the crowd chanting his name. The eager fans showed their signs of excitement for the night ahead, cheers and screams filling the venue. A saxophone and trumpet instrumental added a unique touch to the set, as it is rare for artists nowadays to have such instruments playing with them.

An upbeat start to the set, which contrasts with the more emotional nature of Ducrot’s discography. The second song, Little Dreaming, has a more solemn start, taking to the piano for an intimate moment with the crowd, but then the song took a joyous turn in the chorus. With a drum closing and fans cheering, the night had only just begun, and fans were in for a treat.

Heaven follows, a moment carried as much by the crowd as by the band. “I’m so excited to see so many of you, so thank you so much,” Cian told the audience, before the spotlight narrowed on him. As fans sang every lyric back, the vast crowd of 3,500 suddenly felt like an intimate gathering,

EMOTIONAL & PERSONAL

Shalalala is next, Cian paying homage to his Irish roots. The track became a true showcase of both his and the band’s talent, with Cian seamlessly moving between harmonica, guitar, and vocals.

Kiss And Tell, also from Little Dreaming, sees Ducrot label it as “song I wrote for the love of my life”. It begins with a single spotlight on Cian as he played the flute,  before building into a more uplifting rhythm. The fans followed his lead, clapping and dancing along to the joyful pulse of the traditional Irish flute melodies.

The next song opens with Cian declaring it one he hadn’t sung in a while, to a phenomenal response. Can’t Even Hate You struck a chord, pulling the crowd deep into their feelings and creating an intimate connection with them.

UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES 

As the crowd think the show is over, Ducrot and his band return once again for an impactful encore featuring tracks Thank God You Stayed and I’ll Be Waiting. By the end, it was clear his fanbase would be leaving with sore throats and unforgettable memories.

A Cian Ducrot show wouldn’t be complete without closing with I’ll Be Waiting, and fans had been building up to this moment from the start of the night.

“If you ever wanna fall in love, if you ever wanna bet on us, if you ever wanna be my one, I’ll be waiting.”

Cian Ducrot and his band created a memorable night, packed with energy, atmosphere, and a perfect mix between sadness and joy. As they left the stage to a final wave of cheers, it was clear that Cian had set the bar high in Manchester, kicking off his tour with a truly standout performance.

Check out the remaining dates for Cian Ducrot’s The Dreamship Tour here.

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