Wisdom tooth removal may have delayed CMAT’s UK tour, but it would never stop her from eventually putting on the show of her life…
We got into CMAT’s bad books, Nottingham. You know exactly what I’m referring to. When news broke that she’d had to cancel her UK tour because she needed an emergency wisdom-tooth removal, what did we do? We turned it into a cocktail. We called it the “Infected Wisdom Tooth.” And we sold it on the very night her sold-out Rock City show should have taken place.
We may have redeemed ourselves with the “Healed Wisdom Tooth” cocktail last night at The Bodega’s afterparty for the show, but of course CMAT wouldn’t have known any of this when she walked on stage. Luckily for us, she let go of her initial “beef” with the city and delivered a twelve-song set to kick off her rescheduled UK tour.
Twelve songs may not sound like much for a Rock City headline, but CMAT filled her hour-and-a-half slot with ease. She didn’t just take the stage; she took the bar, launching into Janis Joplining from behind it before weaving her way through the crowd and leaping into The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station and I Don’t Really Care For You.
2025 has undeniably been the biggest year of CMAT’s career. Her third studio album, EURO-COUNTRY, has pushed her further into pop stardom, earning her another Mercury Prize nomination and a packed summer of festival appearances. On stage, she spoke candidly about scrolling through the comment sections of festival clips, only to be met with intrusive commentary about her body. “We’re in a skinny epidemic, people!” she declared.
Though told with humour, the moment carried weight: the online world is frightening, especially when you’re suddenly being perceived by thousands of people outside your fanbase. But that’s the thing about CMAT – she’s deeply likeable. People don’t just come for the music (which stands tall entirely on its own); they come because they feel connected to her. There’s rarely a pop star whose success feels this deserved, not only because of her artistry but because of her humanity.
When a Good Man Cries and Take a Sexy Picture of Me were obvious highlights, the latter having become one of EURO-COUNTRY’s cornerstone tracks thanks to its viral popularity. Iceberg, a standout on the album that still hasn’t fully received its due, shone live as well. There were several tracks she didn’t play: Coronation St., much to the dismay of fans waving a sign for it on the front row, and Lord Let That Tesla Crash – which she’s openly admitted is near impossible to perform live, so no surprises there.
Older songs proved just as beloved. Where Are Your Kids Tonight?, originally featuring John Grant on the studio version, which appears on her sophomore album Crazymad, For Me, saw Colm Conlan (who also releases his own music as Púca when not performing as part of “The Very Sexy CMAT Band”) step centre-stage for a duet. And, of course, fan-favourite I Wanna Be A Cowboy, Baby featured in the encore with the entire venue two-stepping, even the balcony.
Speaking of the balcony, CMAT made it clear that no part of the venue was off limits. The final song, Stay for Something, became a fifteen-minute epic, its extended outro unfolding as CMAT travelled from the stage to the photo pit, through the crowd, up the stairs and onto the balcony to finish the song shoulder-to-shoulder with fans crushed along the railing.
The night was a masterclass in performance, and a reminder of why CMAT’s live shows inspire such fierce devotion. Her voice was faultless, her stage presence magnetic and her humour razor-sharp. As she stood among the balcony crowd, the roar of applause was overwhelming: Nottingham wasn’t just forgiven. It was completely won over.
CMAT performed at Rock City on 14th November 2025, with support from Fancy Hagood.
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