Photo: Alexia Arrizabalaga
Hozier has had an incredible year - his breakthrough success has been unbelievable. This Irish artist from Co. Wicklow has toured non-stop and after supporting Foo Fighters at Sloane Castle this weekend, and kicks off a week of gigs in London on top form.
He steps onto The Roundhouse stage and opens with ‘Angel of Small Death & the Codeine Scene’, you can feel the waves of excitement from the audience as the song fully kicks in. “I love this venue because I never feel too far away from anybody” he explains, and it certainly has the intimacy of being in a bar, but production-wise it’s huge. Hozier launches into ‘To Be Alone’, and true to blues form he plays on a cigar box guitar, the audience has no problem keeping up. His current single ‘Someone New’ is profoundly uplifting with a decisively more pop undertone and it carries well live.
Irish singer-songwriter Alana Henderson joins Hozier on stage for an intimate duet of ‘In A Week’, the morbidly beautiful ballad showcases the flair of these young Irish musicians. Later, as a nod to his influencers, Hozier covers Skip James’ ‘Illinois Blues’, perhaps the cover didn’t fully showcase his vocal capability, but it’s a moment to demonstrate his musical virtuosity in the speed of his finger picking.‘Take Me To Church’, the song everybody was waiting for, was met with a sea of screens filming every second.
Somewhat surprisingly, the song didn’t have the impact expected but perhaps this is testament to the quality of the rest of the album. It’s a chance to reflect on the fact that Hozier is no one hit wonder. The crowd demand an encore with their elated cheering and incessant stomping. The encore included Ariana Grande’s ‘Problem’, it’s a smart move and the crowd adore every second. ;
Hozier’s found a happy medium between the blues and a pop-rock sound, and it sells well. It takes a mere song to shoot someone into stardom, but it takes sheer talent to stay there. It’s safe to say that Hozier is here for the long run.
