Nurturing the Soul: A Night with Hozier

I've seen Hozier a couple of times now, and each time its own spiritual experience. Not to be dramatic or overstate his power, but the music of Hozier somehow reappears just when you need it the most. A break-up, a death in the family, or a new love — Hozier's music wraps itself around your soul, providing solace in moments of vulnerability.

To be quite frank, I didn't "study" for his concert at The Anthem on September 26th as I normally do. I didn't know that Hozier did a pop-up show at Lincoln Theater earlier this year. Nor did I know that his first DC show sold out in four minutes and eight seconds, and the second night in eight minutes. I had only listened to his latest album, Unreal Unearth just once all the way through. And yet, the second he began his set, walking out to deafening cheers, I settled quickly into the warm nostalgia that is Hozier, transported back to my house sophomore year of college, laying in bed listening to "Cherry Wine" on a brand new record player.

Backed by an eight-piece band, Hozier launched into his two-hour set, with the setlist evenly divided between his three albums, playing favorites from all, including "Abstract (Psychopomp)", which had never been played live before. Starting off slow, before gradually increasing in tempo and spirit, "De Selby I" and "De Selby II" kicked off the night. 

The stage came to life with visuals that seamlessly mixed live footage with images from his album covers and music videos, taking us on a visual journey of Hozier's musical career. It appeared to shift through the seasons, the passing of time. At one point, trees grew from above, casting warm shadows across the stage, and the audience responded in sync with the warmth emanating from the screen.

As Hozier launched into "Dinner and Diatribes," the atmosphere crackled with electricity and fervor, as the drums came alive with a feral energy I'd yet to hear at a Hozier concert. Those early days of cozy living room-like shows had been replaced; Hozier has fully embraced his rockstar persona.

While "Take Me to Church" may forever be Hozier's defining anthem, its power remains undiminished. The impassioned vocals, the fervor of the audience, and the palpable anticipation leading to its climax created an electrifying atmosphere. To conclude the main set, Hozier draped a transgender flag on his microphone stand, which elicited a thunderous applause before he exited the stage, setting the scene for the encore.

Although the band took a solid few minutes to regroup backstage, the applause never once wavered.

Opener Maddison Cunningham returned to the stage, joining Hozier and the band for the final encore performance of "Work Song." Earlier hailed by Hozier as one of the "greatest and unique minds of [his] generation," Cunningham added her crisp and bewitching vibes to bring the spiritually charged performance to a soulful conclusion.

Before ending the night, Hozier made sure to dedicate a large chunk of time to thoroughly thanking everyone on tour with them by name. It was a genuine gesture that underscored his profound appreciation for the tireless effort that goes behind the scenes every night of tour. As the night concluded, a rolling credit reel displayed the names of all fifty-two members of the tour, offering a well-deserved acknowledgement of their hard work.

Although the days of intimate Hozier shows are long gone, he still knows how to connect with and create an experience for his fans. His humility and unmatched talent make for an unparalleled musical experience.