A Finsbury Park Triumph: Hozier Gig Review

Words: Rosie Russell

Braving the mud from the previous day’s downpour Finsbury Park was descended on by an array of Doc Martens and white maxi skirts waiting to see the Irish singer. Known for his soulful vocals and eclectic sound I felt that his opening acts matched each of his vibes perfectly; Ye Vagabonds held the Irish background of Hozier and supported his distinct storytelling that only an Irish artist seems to hold; with a song such as ‘De Selby (Part 1)’; whereas, Lord Huron complimented his melancholy rock genre that Hozier has seemed to perfect through the years, being reminiscent of songs such as ‘Cherry Wine’ and ‘I, Carrion (Icarian)’, and finally the incredible Brittany Howard blew me away with her insanely soulful sound that seemed to be perfectly aligned with songs such as ‘Jackie and Wilson’ and ‘Almost (Sweet Music)’.

This pre-game of incredible artists geared the audience up for the truly magical show that Hozier presented; opening with his song ‘Eat Your Young’ which is centered around the attitudes of the rich and wealthy during war, most notably the British Empire towards the Irish during their occupation of Ireland, disguised as a man and his love preparing a meal, pulls a punch from the first note. This was followed by other fan favourites such as ‘Jackie and Wilson’ and ‘From Eden.’

Strikingly I felt that the setlist seemed to reflect the themes and story of the previous albums as one cohesive piece of work; his self-titled debut album takes story inspiration from the couple found in a bog in Ireland, representing acceptance with your partner’s past and a love overcoming even death; as reflected in ‘From Eden’, ‘Like Real People Do’. His sophomore album is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice (another set of lovers) and contains themes of going through hell and back for your partner, as shown in ‘Talk’ and ‘Sunlight’. His most recent album having
influences from Dante’s ‘Inferno’, also contains similar messages of everlasting love in ‘Francesca’ and ‘Unknown/Nth’. Hozier seems to have intentionally and lovingly picked this impressive list of songs not only for fans but also for some majestic storytelling.

With the sunset perfectly hitting the stage the whole atmosphere seemed to shift for the sole purpose of the evening; as he moved to a separate stage for his first encore: singing ‘Cherry Wine’ along with a crowd that felt like a choir accompanying him along with ‘Unknown/Nth.’ Then ending back on the stage for the final encore, enrapturing the crowd with a speech pre ‘Nina Cried Power’, explaining the meaning of the song and how it was inspired by the importance of protest on all fronts.

Ending the night with such songs drove home that even though some fans view Hozier as a ‘bog man’ from Ireland, he is in true Irish fashion much more complex, and his songs highlight many important issues when you dig slightly deeper. As fans made their way out of the venue, there was a sense of collective euphoria and gratitude for having been part of such an unforgettable experience. Hozier’s performance at Finsbury Park was nothing short of captivating, leaving the audience with a deeper
appreciation for his soul-stirring music.