Hozier at Palais Theatre
Supported by our hometown indie folk pop artist Didirri, the night started well at the beautiful Palais Theatre. With a guitar by his side, Didirri brought his charisma and personality to the stage as he laughed and joked and sung with raw emotions in a set that really meant something.
Didirri himself acknowledged how far he had come over the past 2 busy years from busking on the streets of Melbourne to performing around the world alongside international talents, now including Hozier. What we saw was the excitement of someone doing what they love, as Didirri laughed and joked through his set, performing tracks from his EP and eventual debut album.
Pivotal moments included a shout out to his mum in the audience, Frida Kahlo (not in the audience) and dedicating songs to his ex girlfriend and to our need to eventually deal with death one way or another. Formaldehyde was a personal favourite, as were Blind You and Jude.
Before long, it was time for the main act as people settled in for the night ahead. A calm audience who had enjoyed the public holiday of Anzac Day took to their seats again as Hozier a.k.a Andrew Hozier-Byrne and his 7-piece ensemble came out to a series of applause and a feeling of anticipation.
The Irish singer-songwriter opened with Would That I, before leading into Dinner & Diatribes and Nina Cried Power, all from his latest album Wasteland, Baby! Having successfully warmed up the crowd, Hozier encouraged people to stand up (if they wanted to) and get the party going. This was the perfect time to play some old favourites, rolling out Someone New and Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene.
What proceeded was a series of songs from both his debut album Hozier and his latest, with key moments with To Be Alone, Almost (Sweet Music), Jackie and Wilson and Movement. It wouldn’t be a Hozier concert were it not for a sing-a-long with the audience of Take Me To Church, an almost religious experience in its own right to round out the set. The artist and the band, humbled in their success, spend time introducing one another to the crowd and praising all of the work behind the scenes that goes into putting on a tour.
As the night came to a close, the encore consisting of Cherry Wine, delivered by Hozier and a stripped back stage presence was beautiful. They welcomed back the band to perform their final song of the evening, Work Song. The night was an incredible experience and we wish everyone attending tomorrow night a great time.