CMAT gets silly in Philly

A moonwalking bassist, a drummer who was crowned the lesbian queen, and Skirt Cobain walk into a venue. It may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but on this particular night in Philadelphia, it was simply half of The Very Sexy CMAT Band arriving onstage alongside CMAT, ready to deliver a night full of laughs, screams, and theatrics to an eager sold-out crowd.

If there’s one thing CMAT knows how to do, it’s make an entrance. As the lights dimmed, every eye in the room was fixed on the stage, waiting for the Irish singer-songwriter to appear. Her band slowly trickled into place, building anticipation with every passing second… until the crowd suddenly realized she wasn’t onstage at all. Instead, CMAT had appeared behind us, leaning out from the balcony with a grin. She proceeded to perform “Janis Joplining” from the middle of the room, much to the crowd’s delight.

That ability to keep an audience guessing would stay true throughout the rest of the night. One moment she was throwing herself into exaggerated “sexy” poses, and the next, she was bringing a margarita out for a fan named Judy. A moment later still, she was delivering sharp vocals that reminded everyone exactly why she’s one of the most exciting live acts right now.

Fresh off a run of arena shows opening for Florence + the Machine, CMAT seemed just as at home in the intimacy of Union Transfer as she does in front of larger crowds. Most of her setlist was from her 2025 album EURO-COUNTRY. While a lot of CMAT’s discography doesn’t shy away from harsh truths and sly commentary, EURO-COUNTRY takes it to a new level. “Running/Planning” is an immediate mantra for anyone struggling to keep up with societal expectations, and “Take a Sexy Picture of Me” transforms online scrutiny and body-shaming into a defiant pop anthem while simultaneously calling out those who body-shame her. Each song felt bigger in a live setting, offering pieces of a wider statement about identity, image, ambition, and what it means to grow older in a world that constantly asks for more.

“Is it a Tuesday night,” CMAT asked about halfway through the set, seemingly amazed by the volume and enthusiasm of the crowd on a weeknight. It was a playful setup before praising the Philly crowd, but she wasn’t wrong: losing all sense of time while inside Union Transfer was easy. Between her nonstop banter, theatrical antics, and a crowd that screamed back lyrics, the night felt suspended in its own little universe.

On a night full of memorable moments, one that stood out was her performance of “Where Are Your Kids Tonight,” with keyboardist Colm Conlan. It wasn’t originally on the setlist, but a fan in the front row held up a sign requesting it, and CMAT obliged. In fact, she did more than that, crouching down to hug the fan, who shared how much the song meant to her.

The softer song led into “Such A Miranda,” which CMAT played by herself, a single spotlight on her. It was one of the few moments when the room seemed to collectively stay quiet. She followed it with “Rent,” beginning solo before The Very Sexy CMAT Band gradually rejoined her for the song’s second half.

All of that is what made CMAT’s sold-out stop at Union Transfer feel so special. She could spend one minute crowning her drummer the “lesbian queen,” the next crouching down to comfort a fan in the front row, and moments later have an entire room hanging on every word. By the end of the almost two-hour set, CMAT may have spent the night getting silly in Philly, but nobody in Union Transfer was leaving without being completely under her spell.