12 Steps To Seeing (And Falling In Love With) Hozier
Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known by his stage name Hozier, has become an international star this past year. Needless to say, massive expectations surround the singer. After seeing him perform at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, no one could’ve predicted his sheer talent and genius as an artist.
Here is a handy step-by-step guide to attending the Irish singer-songwriter’s concert:
Step 1: Ardently Listen To His Music Before
Relatively new to the international music scene, Hozier only has one album released, as well as a few EPs and Live records. Get past “Get Me To Church.” Believe it or not, he has better songs. However, be sure to not listen to Hozier just because it seems as though everyone else is obsessed. There is nothing worse than jumping on the bandwagon (see: current fans of Mumford & Sons).
Step 2: Binge-Watch Interviews
Based on interviews, Hozier is shy, gentle, caring and yet a very charismatic person. He seems to just “get it.” If you watch his videos, you can tell he still gets quite nervous, but as he begins to sing, all of the nerves seem to vanish. This is a sign of a true performer.
Step 3: Buy Tickets To A Concert
Whereas I remember when tickets to a Hozier concert were around $20, expect to now shell out the big bucks. However, it is worth every penny and more. Stay tuned and trust me.
Step 4: Watch The Concert (And Maybe Again Later)
As a person who has seen many bands during my 21 years on this earth, Hozier completely stood out. Top five, easy. There is this gentle, effortless style he personifies. Watching him perform is breathtaking. Usually, I don’t approve of saving videos of concerts. Granted, it is illegal but mostly because you are never going to watch that said video again. However, less than 24 hours after the show, I am still re-watching the videos.
Step 5: Stand In Awe Of His Talent
There’s a bit of a grey area when it comes to the rock genre. Often, performers are tempted to stand with said guitar/instrument and just sing and play. Fans yawn, pull out phones, etc. It takes a very special person to make this genre entertaining in a live setting. Yet, Hozier did. He is not only a master of the guitar, but subsequently played about four different versions of the instrument at this particular show.
Step 6: Note The Accent
Hailing from Bray, Ireland, Hozier is the second coming of Van Morrison. It’s very hard for Irish singer-songwriters to become noticed, since the genre can oftentimes sound the same and there is an excess of these performers. Walk into any pub in Dublin and you’ll see what I mean. However, Hozier distinguishes himself as the Irish lad to be heard. Furthermore, if you listen very closely to his pronunciation, there is a hint of an accent, which often vanishes from foreign performers.
Step 7: Consider The Sheer Lyrical Genius
Accepted at the prestigious Trinity College for music, Hozier actually dropped out to focus on writing songs. We can tell he certainly spent that time wisely. Consider the array of tracks from his album. Start at bestselling “Take Me To Church,” the song which details the problems of the religion in reference to LGBT rights. Then, move to “Cherry Wine,” a sweet track about the pure essence of innocent love. Or how about the metaphorical “From Eden” that entails biblical references? Or “Work Song” which, performed live, simply pulls at the heartstrings, a tale about a boy arduously working on a relationship and for his love. Needless to say, this songwriting makes you feel.
Step 7: Covers, covers, oh my!
I’m not a fan of covers. I often find them gimmicky. They just don’t seem to work. However, with that unique voice of his, Hozier managed to pull off not one, but two covers at his LA show. The first, “Blackbird” by The Beatles, was surprising. He made it more upbeat, a bonding experience with the crowd. The second was surprisingly “Problem” as originally sung by Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea. Huh? I know, I thought the same thing. However, he put his own “Hozier” twist on the hit and it sounded stellar. Listen to his cover of “Do I Wanna Know.” Proceed to wish this was the original.
Step 8: Admire The Croon
One reason why Hozier is an outlier among the industry today is because of his voice. The raspy, controlled tone accents his bluesy rock vocals. If you close your eyes and let the voice simply set in, chills will occur. It is beautiful and enticing.
Step 9: …Then Swoon
There’s no denying it — Hozier is a very attractive man. The man bun, plaid, scruff, brilliant smile — it’s like watching an Urban Outfitters model perform. The combination of his seemingly likable personality and handsomely unorthodox looks allow you to become mesmerized. Add the immense talent and heartfelt songwriting and you have the complete package.
Step 10: Listen To His Gratitude
Usually, an artist will thank the opening act and introduce the members of his or her own band at the very end of the show. This was certainly not the case for Hozier. He thanked members of his band multiple times throughout the night, as well as mentioning the openers, Little Green Cars throughout the performance. The best thank you, though, was when he spent time thanking everyone on his tour — from the engineers to the lighting guys to the managers to even the bus drivers. As people behind the show are often forgotten, this was one of the most humble gestures I have seen by a performer.
Step 11: Walk Out Of The Venue Transformed
As the crowd shuffled out of the Microsoft Theater, the one thing I kept hearing (while everyone was waiting for an Uber, of course) was: “Wow.” Fans were generally astonished, which seems to never happen. The murmurs and conversations were all positive, often exclaiming how it was one of the best shows they had ever seen. Seeing Hozier live seemed to almost be a religious experience in the sense that his music transcended through fans. “Take Me To Church,” indeed.
Reach Music Editor Jillian Morabito here.
