CMAT fans flock to see 'fantastic' performer in intimate gig

Ronan O'Malley said CMAT was a "fantastic" performer

Music lovers are descending on south Belfast as Sam Fender headlines the first day of Belfast Vital.

But it's not just a big day for Fender fans.

Irish singer-songwriter CMAT, one of Fender's support acts, put on an extra acoustic show at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast on Thursday afternoon.

One fan queuing for the earlier gig was Ronan O'Malley, who is also heading to Belfast Vital.

"I've booked two days' annual leave," he told BBC News NI.

Ronan, who lives in Belfast, saw CMAT at Primavera earlier this year, where he said she was "fantastic".

"It just makes you so proud to see an Irish artist doing so well, especially internationally as well.

"I think she's just different and she doesn't really care about what people think and that's such a nice attitude to have, especially for someone who's so up and coming in the pop world at the moment."

'I would travel miles to see her perform'

Ant (left), Lindsey (centre) and Arin (right) were among fans queuing for CMAT's Oh Yeah Centre gig

CMAT - real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson - is in Belfast after lighting up Glastonbury's Pyramid stage with her powerful vocals earlier in the summer.

The Oh Yeah Centre gig celebrated the release of her new album, Euro-Country, which is out on Friday.

Another fan, Arin Furlong, got the train from Dublin to Belfast for the gig early this morning.

"It's so worth it," she said.

"I would travel kilometres and kilometres, miles and miles, to see her perform."

Arin has lost count of exactly how many times she has seen CMAT live - seven, maybe eight - but said she was "so excited for the new album and to hear her play anything new".

Lindsey Morrison, who is from Londonderry, has also seen CMAT multiple times.

And her favourite gig? Amsterdam, when she was in the front row and the singer gave her a hug after hearing how far she'd travelled.

"The best night ever," she said.

CMAT is supporting Sam Fender at Belfast Vital

Arin and Lindsey first met while queuing outside CMAT's Guinness Factory gig in Dublin back in May - and they've reunited for the Belfast gig.

Ant Mullan, from Cookstown, is also with them - he and Lindsey met at a St Vincent gig where Ant said they bonded over their shared love of CMAT.

He saw her play at the Oh Yeah Centre back in 2023, but she has "blown up so much" since then, he said.

"Now the energy knowing she's playing Boucher tonight, knowing she's fresh off a run of festivals and she's going to be playing to a few hundred people [this afternoon].

"It's crazy."

Colin and Sam were looking forward to seeing CMAT at an intimate venue

Colin Heaney and Sam Dineen, both from Belfast, were seeing CMAT for the first time on Thursday afternoon.

"I know a big, giant venue outside like Sam Fender later will be great, a big massive venue, but it's really cool getting to see artists in intimate spaces," Sam said.

"I'm really looking forward to the new album and I think her lyrics are class.

"She's very good at creating something catchy and then giving you a bridge that's insane and says a lot."

Colin said CMAT's music was "really lyrically sharp" but also "catchy and engaging".

"It's marrying good lyrics with good pop," he said.

Who is playing Belfast Vital?

Sam Fender will take to the stage in Belfast as part of his People Watching tour

Belfast Vital is a two-day event this year.

Thursday night begins at 18:15 BST, kicking off with Dublin singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, according to provisional timings.

CMAT is set to take to the Vital stage at 19:20, followed by Sam Fender at 20:45.

The Boucher Road venue will play host to a sold-out show by Dublin band Fontaines DC on Friday night.

They will be supported by Belfast rap group Kneecap, who recently cancelled their US tour due to a court case involving band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.

The 27-year-old rapper, who uses the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May, after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a London gig last year.