‘It’s the biggest headline show of my life so far!” beams Cian Ducrot, arms outstretched. The confidently titled Victory tour is a lap of honour after a major year for the Cork singer-songwriter: Ducrot supported Ed Sheeran in the spring, hit No 1 in the UK and Ireland with his debut album Victory in the summer, and tonight his diaristic singles inspire hand-on-heart emotion from the sold-out show’s audience.
Once a busker, then a classically trained flautist, and now a TikTok sensation, Ducrot’s songs are straightforward and heartfelt; a big piano melody drives into an even bigger chorus. Yet his material is thornier and braver than those catchy choruses might imply. Heaven, the night’s first big singalong, is a ballad dedicated to his brother which confronts the domestic violence they both suffered as children.
