CMAT at Fine Line (September 12, 2025)

It was another sold out show for an Irish singer who is having quite the week in a very busy summer. And based on the show at the Fine Line she will be even busier in the future.

Tele Novella opened the evening to a crowd that came early. They are from Austin, Texas, and normally a five-piece band, but only two were on tour: Natalie Ribbons on vocals and acoustic guitar and Jason Chronis covering the other musical bases, ranging from electric guitar and bass to keys, auto harp and for one song, a string of silver bells.

How best to describe Tele Novella? Their musical sound has been described as dreamy, spooky macabre-pop. My favorite is coin-operated medieval pop. It was apparent there were quite a few fans in the crowd. The person standing next to me had a full-length portrait of Edgar Alan Poe tattooed to her left arm. So maybe a little macabre.

Ribbons and Chronis had a nice chemistry with Ribbons expressive nature spinning tales of off-beat stories and Chronis adding a light touch with his array of instruments. “Young and Free” was a sweet slow song where a couple in front of me started dancing cheek-to-cheek. “Poet’s Tooth” got a big cheer as Chronis hovered over Ribbons with a string of small silver bells only to move to the auto harp, then finishing with a fuzzed-out guitar. A fan favorite was “Eggs in One Basket”, a group of fans behind me sang along word for word.

CMAT and her band next took the stage. Actually, the band took the stage, and up in the balcony was CMAT peering over the crowd like sea captain, singing “Janis Joplining” while working herself back to the stage. It was quite the entrance for a person who knows how to entertain.

CMAT stands for Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson. She is an Irish singer based in Dublin. She may not be known here, but across the pond she is causing quite a stir. Her three albums have been shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, her latest EURO-COUNTRY, was just nominated this week. She took Glastonbury by storm and just played Jimmy Kimmel before coming to the Fine Line. And when she launched into “Jamie Oliver Petrol Station”, frankly I was overwhelmed by the anthem-like song which was hilarious, passionate, angry and worked the crowd into a frenzy.

“I feel like we’re in Dublin,” she said after the roars died down.

How best to describe CMAT? Critics reference Patsy Cline, Kate Bush and Mazzy Star with a Bridget Jones wit. Somehow, she seems to pull musical genres like country and rock into a fused pop sound. She has a bright mind, a sharp tongue, and bubbly persona. There is also a great voice, and the ability to captivate the room whether she was line dancing through “I Really Don’t Care” or setting it straight in “When a Good Man Cries.”

CMAT spent quite a bit of time between songs, chatting with the crowd, even asking their names and professions as if a music club had turned into an Irish Pub. She even took a request and sang “Coronation Street” and became best friends with Jonah in the front row. For a moment she didn’t know if she grabbed her or Jonah’s water. So she chatted with him as if there were no more songs to sing. She then offered her drink to him, and after a beat she added that she was sick, joking, “I’m a pop star. So you’re welcome.”

And as the evening came to close, CMAT contemplated if the M in CMAT should now stand for Minneapolis. She had definitely won over the crowd. And if I had to summarize the experience, it would be one of the songs from the encore, “I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!”, an affirmation of a person who can stand on her own two feet, line dance and have a blast doing it.

Tele Novella at Fine Line

Tele Novella at Fine Line

CMAT at Fine Line

CMAT at Fine Line

CMAT at Fine Line

CMAT at Fine Line

CMAT at Fine Line

CMAT at Fine Line