Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know
Since I have grossly neglected typing up my two previous Hozier concert experiences, I will type this one up!
It was glorious!
1. Would That I
2. Dinner & Diatribes
3. Nina Cried Power
4. Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
5. Moment's Silence (Common Tongue)
6. Nobody
7. Talk
8. No Plan
9. Almost (Sweet Music)
10. Jackie and Wilson
11. Someone New
12. Shrike
13. Wasteland, Baby!
14. To Be Alone
15. From Eden
16. Movement
17. Take Me To Church
Encore:
18. Cherry Wine
19. Work Song
OH MY GOD.
Third time I seen him in concert, and it gets more and more intense every time.
Okay, so disclaimer: I am very easily moved to tears. Still, this concert was a tour de force. I was a sobbing mess for most of it^^;;
First of all, we had David Keenan as supporting act, and I liked him a lot, except for the fact that the sound was a little off for most of his set :( Charming Irishman, clever and interesting songs, but not great sound :/
Then the band started appearing and the bass on Would That I is actually insane. And then Hozier sauntered in. Small wave, shy smile, and then singing.
Hozier is a giant. A gentle giant, I'll give you, but he's a giant. He's tall and skinny and it shouldn't be possible for him to fill out that stage as completely as he does, but there you go. Almost a week later, and I'm not sure I have processed the entire experience, but I'll attempt some coherency: It needs to be said, that his entire production is a lot more rock than on the albums, and he's a magician on stage. I mean, when he talks in between songs he's an awkward ball of fluff and awesome, but dear me, so awkward it's endearing.
He did Would That I and Dinner & Diatribes and then Nina Cried Power, which provoked the loudest screams of the night so far - honestly, the video to it makes me feel all kinds of things and I don't think I've managed to get through it without crying yet. Live is no exception, it's somehow more raw, more powerful, and the way Hozier abandoned his guitar for a sort of imploring stance, urging us to never stand indly by akhkadsgs FEELS.
After that emotional purge, he got another guitar (it should be mentioned, that he switches guitars between every song xD) and then the chords of Angel of Small Deaths and the Codeine Scene started. We went a little bit nuts. It's such a live song, it's so good.
He then took to congratulating on us having a beautiful Pride the day he arrived, said that it was wonderful to see. The next four songs were amazing, but for me, they were overshadowed by the time he started on Almost (Sweet Music), because holy moly, that is a song I've wanted to see live. The clapping rhythm? I've got it down. Not everyone did, which amused him, but ffs, stop making it so hard to follow your rhythm^^;; It's such a fun song, the lyrics are great and the way he plays up to his band members, lets them all have a moment in the spotlight is just so great! It feels a little bit like he's collected people and made them into a kind of family of musicians?
The chemistry between them all is off the charts.
Jackie and Wilson? CRAZY.
Someone New? Oh my god, I fall in love, just a little ol' little bit every day, with someone new. It's so charming. I lost it a little bit at this song, honestly the entire thing is kind of a blur^^;;
Shrike omg. It was just him with a guitar and one of his bandmembers on keys and harmony, god it's stunning. It makes me so emotional, I don't even know why, but his voice is just so intimate and so powerful and it sounded mournful, and urgent, and all kinds of things. DKADHJKSCKSJ
He started talking about the time between his last tour and the new album, spoke about feeling desolate and about the Doomsday Clock and how we've never been closer to devastation, how the minutes to midnights feels shorter than ever, and he felt like writing a lovesong for the end of the world, and that's when he started Wasteland, Baby! and I was a sobbing mess, truly. Such a perfect performance.
I think he knew he'd left us all as emotional disasters at that point, so he started on To Be Alone, which was nice, because I could dry my eyes and give some kleenex to the sobbing guy next to me, and he said he'd steal our voices because we sang along so well, and just when we thought we were safe, it was time for From Eden. We sort of lost it again. Everyone were spellbound, completely. I lack words for how lovely this song is <3 Everyoen were singing along.
But then.
The entire stage got flooded with lights. Like, I don't even. And I thought I was sort of safe, but boy was I wrong.
Movement.
It's my favourite song of his, forever and ever, and sldjksfks the perfection of it... it just gutted me. Completely. Aching, feeling raw, tears just falling down, quivering lip and harsh breath, I was just desperately trying to make it through the rest of the song, because h o l y s h i t. I can't. I have lived this performance and I made it through. I didn't think I was going to, but I did. I don't know what it is about this song, but had if I had to tattoo an entire song onto my body, it would be this one. It was a spiritual experience. The bit just after the second chorus and his band just breaks into choir before bridge of "Move like grey skies, move like a bird of paradise..." alkdkshfkshfk. Five stars, would do again, with no less bawling.
Probably to save us all, he did Take Me To Chuch to close the main set and god, it still holds up. It's such a good song, and I'm so glad he's switching up his vocals sometimes in it, because I imagine he's gotten a tiny bit tired of it since it went viral xD I really appreciate the growl and grits and switching of tempo in the chorus <3
That concluded the main set, but it wasn't long until he came back on stage just him and a guitar, and he did Cherry Wine. I'd thought I was done crying, but here we go. The bittersweet melancholy song about domestic abuse just breaks my heart. "It looks ugly, but it's clean, oh momma, don't fuss over me." My heart.
For the final song, the entire band came back and they did Work Song. What a perfect way to end the night - the humming, the chanting lilt of the lyrics and the background vocals just came together in a greater meaning. I think Hozier was put on earth to make humanity appreciate songwriting. The art of it. Not that he's not a great singer, because he has a god given gift of a voice to go along with it, but I find his songwriting to be so clever and poetic. He's a modern poet, his references just undo me.
If what he needs to produce perfection like this is to regularly crawl back under a rock in the marshes of Ireland, then so be it. He did once speak a little bit about being aware his fans thinking him to be some kind of fae, but I believe it.
Please, Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, never stop blessing us with your gift <3
(And then I wandered out into the night, clutching my Hozier shirt, still sniffling, still gutted, still feeling complete, and back into reality.)
It was glorious!
1. Would That I
2. Dinner & Diatribes
3. Nina Cried Power
4. Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
5. Moment's Silence (Common Tongue)
6. Nobody
7. Talk
8. No Plan
9. Almost (Sweet Music)
10. Jackie and Wilson
11. Someone New
12. Shrike
13. Wasteland, Baby!
14. To Be Alone
15. From Eden
16. Movement
17. Take Me To Church
Encore:
18. Cherry Wine
19. Work Song
OH MY GOD.
Third time I seen him in concert, and it gets more and more intense every time.
Okay, so disclaimer: I am very easily moved to tears. Still, this concert was a tour de force. I was a sobbing mess for most of it^^;;
First of all, we had David Keenan as supporting act, and I liked him a lot, except for the fact that the sound was a little off for most of his set :( Charming Irishman, clever and interesting songs, but not great sound :/
Then the band started appearing and the bass on Would That I is actually insane. And then Hozier sauntered in. Small wave, shy smile, and then singing.
Hozier is a giant. A gentle giant, I'll give you, but he's a giant. He's tall and skinny and it shouldn't be possible for him to fill out that stage as completely as he does, but there you go. Almost a week later, and I'm not sure I have processed the entire experience, but I'll attempt some coherency: It needs to be said, that his entire production is a lot more rock than on the albums, and he's a magician on stage. I mean, when he talks in between songs he's an awkward ball of fluff and awesome, but dear me, so awkward it's endearing.
He did Would That I and Dinner & Diatribes and then Nina Cried Power, which provoked the loudest screams of the night so far - honestly, the video to it makes me feel all kinds of things and I don't think I've managed to get through it without crying yet. Live is no exception, it's somehow more raw, more powerful, and the way Hozier abandoned his guitar for a sort of imploring stance, urging us to never stand indly by akhkadsgs FEELS.
After that emotional purge, he got another guitar (it should be mentioned, that he switches guitars between every song xD) and then the chords of Angel of Small Deaths and the Codeine Scene started. We went a little bit nuts. It's such a live song, it's so good.
He then took to congratulating on us having a beautiful Pride the day he arrived, said that it was wonderful to see. The next four songs were amazing, but for me, they were overshadowed by the time he started on Almost (Sweet Music), because holy moly, that is a song I've wanted to see live. The clapping rhythm? I've got it down. Not everyone did, which amused him, but ffs, stop making it so hard to follow your rhythm^^;; It's such a fun song, the lyrics are great and the way he plays up to his band members, lets them all have a moment in the spotlight is just so great! It feels a little bit like he's collected people and made them into a kind of family of musicians?
The chemistry between them all is off the charts.
Jackie and Wilson? CRAZY.
Someone New? Oh my god, I fall in love, just a little ol' little bit every day, with someone new. It's so charming. I lost it a little bit at this song, honestly the entire thing is kind of a blur^^;;
Shrike omg. It was just him with a guitar and one of his bandmembers on keys and harmony, god it's stunning. It makes me so emotional, I don't even know why, but his voice is just so intimate and so powerful and it sounded mournful, and urgent, and all kinds of things. DKADHJKSCKSJ
He started talking about the time between his last tour and the new album, spoke about feeling desolate and about the Doomsday Clock and how we've never been closer to devastation, how the minutes to midnights feels shorter than ever, and he felt like writing a lovesong for the end of the world, and that's when he started Wasteland, Baby! and I was a sobbing mess, truly. Such a perfect performance.
I think he knew he'd left us all as emotional disasters at that point, so he started on To Be Alone, which was nice, because I could dry my eyes and give some kleenex to the sobbing guy next to me, and he said he'd steal our voices because we sang along so well, and just when we thought we were safe, it was time for From Eden. We sort of lost it again. Everyone were spellbound, completely. I lack words for how lovely this song is <3 Everyoen were singing along.
But then.
The entire stage got flooded with lights. Like, I don't even. And I thought I was sort of safe, but boy was I wrong.
Movement.
It's my favourite song of his, forever and ever, and sldjksfks the perfection of it... it just gutted me. Completely. Aching, feeling raw, tears just falling down, quivering lip and harsh breath, I was just desperately trying to make it through the rest of the song, because h o l y s h i t. I can't. I have lived this performance and I made it through. I didn't think I was going to, but I did. I don't know what it is about this song, but had if I had to tattoo an entire song onto my body, it would be this one. It was a spiritual experience. The bit just after the second chorus and his band just breaks into choir before bridge of "Move like grey skies, move like a bird of paradise..." alkdkshfkshfk. Five stars, would do again, with no less bawling.
Probably to save us all, he did Take Me To Chuch to close the main set and god, it still holds up. It's such a good song, and I'm so glad he's switching up his vocals sometimes in it, because I imagine he's gotten a tiny bit tired of it since it went viral xD I really appreciate the growl and grits and switching of tempo in the chorus <3
That concluded the main set, but it wasn't long until he came back on stage just him and a guitar, and he did Cherry Wine. I'd thought I was done crying, but here we go. The bittersweet melancholy song about domestic abuse just breaks my heart. "It looks ugly, but it's clean, oh momma, don't fuss over me." My heart.
For the final song, the entire band came back and they did Work Song. What a perfect way to end the night - the humming, the chanting lilt of the lyrics and the background vocals just came together in a greater meaning. I think Hozier was put on earth to make humanity appreciate songwriting. The art of it. Not that he's not a great singer, because he has a god given gift of a voice to go along with it, but I find his songwriting to be so clever and poetic. He's a modern poet, his references just undo me.
If what he needs to produce perfection like this is to regularly crawl back under a rock in the marshes of Ireland, then so be it. He did once speak a little bit about being aware his fans thinking him to be some kind of fae, but I believe it.
Please, Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, never stop blessing us with your gift <3
(And then I wandered out into the night, clutching my Hozier shirt, still sniffling, still gutted, still feeling complete, and back into reality.)