Rating: 5 out of 5.
LIVE REVIEW | CMAT w/ Fancy Hagood | OCTAGON, SHEFFIELD | 26th November 2025 by Isobel O’Mahony
After two nights with Kneecap, you’d think Sheffield would be knackered. But, as our Dunboyne Diana, and best cover singer of Henry Nillson’s ‘Without You’ (argue with the wall), CMAT turned up to the Octagon and jumped the room corner by corner. After a brilliant and overflowing set at Tramlines this summer, it’s clear she’s well loved in the city, but Wednesday night showed just how much she loves Steel City back.
Fancy Haygood
I would never expect an underwhelming guest to join CMAT anyway, but country artist Fancy Hagood and his vulnerable, acoustic stylings just astonished me. His voice was stunning, filling the room with songs like ‘Isn’t that Life’ off of newest record American Spirit. A brilliantly done cover of Olivia Dean’s ‘Man I Need’ was a clear crowd-pleaser, but the true winner was his commentary. He brought us into his life, into each song with the story behind it and a fun note. Witty, loveable and ridiculously talented? I’m listening.
On the album, Hagood shares:
“I wanted the songs to be so vicious and heated up that only my ex could know how vicious and evil they were. But then, because of therapy, I’d get to the writers room just full of gratitude, it’s annoying.”
Fancy Hagood (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure)
Fancy Hagood (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure)
Fancy Hagood (Abi Chilton/Northern Exposure)
CMAT
The building now filled to the brim with eager fans and cowboy hats, CMAT took the stage and – oh, wait. Nope, CMAT commanded the crowd from the back of the room, warming up with Euro-Country track ‘Janis Joplining’. She was a sunglass-clad, angelical mirage to the majority of the audience, seeping in cheers and smiles before literally zooming to the stage. Usually from a CMAT gig I want fun outfits, amazing music and the utmost chaos, and I got that in the first five minutes.
We toured through new and old tunes, all celebrated, all done brilliantly. Euro-Country is one of the year’s top releases, with a Mercury Prize and Brit nomination to show for it, and the tracks have clearly marinated within her audience. High energy, dynamic tunes like ‘Jamie Oliver Petrol Station’ and ‘Tree Six Foive’ were ridiculously fun, but true impact has held for the slower songs.
‘When a Good Man Cries’ and ‘EUROCOUNTRY’ (hearing the Irish intro live was beautiful) were met with sways and big eyes. As one of my favourites from the record, ‘Iceberg’ was bound to amaze, but it’s haziness on stage illuminated the track. ‘Running/Planning’ is a Euro-Country classic, and beloved ‘Take A Sexy Picture of Me’ served not only as a lesson in what it can be to be a woman, but as the biggest fuck you to any stupid, tiny online trolls.
Brilliant performance and musicality was broken up with kooky synchronised dances, unguarded stories and the odd pint. Admittedly, CMAT had not drunk the entire tour, but said that not only were some of her favourite artists from Sheffield (cue her astute Jarvis Cocker impression) but ‘the finest pints’ she’s had have been in the city. Nothing beats a glass of Sheffield bitter I guess?
Sheffield was truly treated, with the tour debut of 2023 track ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient’ and celebrated past songs ‘Lonely’, ‘Rent’ and ‘I Don’t Really Care for You’. ‘Have Fun!’ saw everybody’s hands up, and there were, of course, blurs of the famous Dunboyne Co Meath two-step with every girl, dad, and “boyfriend of a bisexual woman” stepping with a drink in hand. Closing with fan-fave ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’ and power heart-wrencher ‘Stay For Something’, CMAT and the now half-shirtless band tied the bow on the night, leaving a sea of smiling faces, wrecked shoes and rhinestoned cowgirls behind.
Sheffield is a city of steel, music, clearly good pints, and now CMAT lovers. Everyone who graced the stage that night was a vision in vibrant country, with the crowd below (and in between) giving their all, and delivering the “earliest Yorkshire chant on the tour”. The dynamism of Fancy Hagood, CMAT herself, and the incredible band was genuinely refreshing. Not because we’ve never seen anything like it, but because of the sheer, unfiltered joy it sparked, CMAT saying it was already one of the best nights on tour.
“Godbless Sheffield!”
Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson is one talented bastard, and her newest record and stellar live performances have left a bright ginger, tooth-gem-sparkling mark on 2025. Next year can only push her trajectory higher, with musical greatness hand-in-hand with glorious madness.
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