By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Tuesday 21 November 2023, tour runs through 28 June 2024

SETLIST: Victory; Mama; Heaven; Him; Endless Nights; Rest Of Our Days; How Do You Know; Hurt When You Hurt Me; All For You; Blame It On You; Step Dad; Everyone Who Falls In Love (Has Someone Else They’re Thinking Of); Part Of Me; Thank God You Stayed; I’ll Be Waiting

A year ago we reviewed Ducrot as support on Ella Henderson’s tour and tonight she returns the favour by appearing here to duet on their new Christmas single Rest Of Our Days.

• Read on for reasons including how 2024 promises some big gigs in his native Ireland

13 months and a number 1 debut album in England and his native Ireland later we’ve seen him this year at Camden’s KOKO and at Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival so the fact this biggest London headliner gig of his is a sell-out is far from a surprise.

When we 1st saw him at King’s Cross’s Lafayette in September 2022 we wrote about the magic of how he sat in the audience during a song that would later become our favourite of his – the catchy singalong How Do You Know? about ensuring to appreciate the best of times.

Given how successful he’s become, we never thought we’d see him attempt to repeat the trick but during 3rd song and recent single, the upbeat Heaven, he’s straight off the stage and into the front rows sparking a well-behaved yet appreciative mobile phone frenzy.

Later he talks movingly about his recent journey but also how we should look for our own ‘victories’ in our lives as he reminds that there’s a box on the merchandise stall marked ‘messages for Cian’ which he urges us to use.

It’s this heartfelt sincerity and authenticity that runs through all his material which makes you think, even when he’s wielding a flute during 1 of the early numbers, that this artist is just so talented that he can convince with anything musical that he wishes to turn his mind to.

We think Ella Henderson was especially generous to have him on her tour and the pair’s duet, All For You, is the reason we chose to see him at the Lafayette and it’s really quite emotional to hear so many of this venue’s predominantly female 5,300-strong crowd singing the words at the top of their lungs.

But it’s not just this song that causes mass singalongs and, while it’s amazing for us to hear How Do You Know? so well received after stumbling upon it, we can’t help but imagine how astonishing it must feel for its songwriter.

Ducrot speaks of his thanks to Henderson and his pride in their new single and we can see it becoming a perennial favourite with its lyrics including: ‘We’ll drink and we’ll dance ’til the bar sends us home, And we’ll start Christmas morning passed out in the snow’ as well as: ‘Won’t remember much when we’re old and grey, We’ll remember this night for the rest of our days.’

Looking to the future and Ducrot has some big gigs lined up – not least headlining St Anne’s Park in Dublin and his own hometown of Musgrave Park in Cork in June.

This year he supported Ed Sheeran on his arena tour including gigs at London’s The 02 and you just know that it’s only bigger and better stages that await for him.

We unveil our own monstas shortlist for 2023 shortly for your vote for Best Gig, Best Album and Best Song soon – and who would bet against Ducrot featuring?

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy Cian Ducrot Tickets
• Have you seen Cian Ducrot before or been to the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith?
• Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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