CMAT – Brixton Academy (Dec 25)

In October, CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) announced that her Brixton appearance was not going ahead due to an emergency wisdom tooth extraction, so Emma and Hannah had their schedule hastily rearranged.

For me, I wasn’t too fussed, given the last time I saw CMAT I wasn’t overly impressed.

So when we got the new date through my plan was to stay in and clean the oven (an alternative to washing my hair).

So an hour before they were due to leave for Brixton, and whilst talking to my daughters on video call in the front room, I received a message from the kitchen… “the sell out tour date has a handful of resales on the Ticketmaster website at face value – do you want to come”….

I couldn’t think of an excuse quick enough so ended up joining them!

What a great decision that turned out to be….

The atmosphere at the Brixton Academy was buzzing, and when the band came on stage they gave the most electric of performances. It took me a little by surprise – so much more energy than at YNot festival a few years back.

Bass Guitarist William Bishop (BillyWish), wearing a mini skirt strutted across the stage with a pair of legs most women would die for. The other band members were equally eccentric, and the air was charged with sexual tension – which even Alan Carr, who was sat just above us in the upper circle, was lapping up…

A little earlier, the band members had brushed past us whilst we were queuing outside – they were heading for a photo op outside the venue only a few feet from us – a nice bonus to start the night.

CMAT’s rapport with the audience second to none and the music was a heck of a lot better than I recall from a few years ago.

I don’t think this would be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me this was a great night – and so glad that someone gave up their ticket and Hannah had spotted the sale.

These guys genuinely appear bemused that they’ve hit the big-time, so their performance remains an ego free zone focused very much on the audience experience.

They are performing at Beared Theory next May, so I may even pop along to see them there, if they are half as good as tonight we wont regret it.