Cue my ideal Saturday night: A Carajillo cocktail in one hand, shredded pork tacos in the other, a patch of mostly clean turf beneath my feet, and Hozier’s lusty lyrics spinning in the background.
On June 8, that was my reality when my friend and I caught Hozier’s final New York City show on this leg of his ‘Unreal Unearth Tour’ at Queen’s iconic Forest Hills Stadium.
The folksy Irish-born “Take Me To Church” singer has all the bravado in the world, and we’d practically been prepping for this concert since we started jamming along to his tunes during middle school morning carpool sessions.
Before he took the stage though, his opener, Allison Russell, grounded the already mellowed-out crowd with a handful of her earthy Americana hits: “Springtime,” “Ever Was Black,” and the spirited, singalong “Night Flyer,” which garnered no shortage of twinkling gazes (mine included).
The soft-spoken Grammy-winner has been forging her path since releasing her first solo album three years ago. She has an effortless, enviable, heartwarming aura around her, and her performance was just as much an opportunity to draw attention to social causes and religious conflicts as it was to entertain.
“Gen Z and the Alphas give me hope,” she told the audience before encouraging everyone to register to vote, especially at the local level. Teary eyes followed as she brought her ten-year-old daughter onstage to duet “Demons” and fill in for Brandi Carlile for their “You’re Not Alone” collaboration. The singing genes are clearly at work — her father is Russell’s former bandmate.
Russell’s departure provided just enough time for my friend and me to trot over to the concession stands for our caffeinated cocktails and Tacos Al Pastor. We’d been encouraged to work up an appetite. The tennis stadium/live music venue is sourced with local vendors and warrants a Michelin star as far as concert grub goes.
Our tastebuds were already twirling as Hozier’s ravishing hymn from “Eat Your Young” roused us from our seats. The ironic timing left us singing along fully satisfied: “I’m starving, darling/ Let me put my lips to something/ Let me wrap my teeth around the world.”
But, the hits-close-to-home feel is no surprise with Hozier. There’s something genius about his lyrics — like double-edged swords — they meet all the requirements of singable wordplay sound while poetically piercing the soul.
Perhaps, that’s why everyone on TikTok appears utterly obsessed with “Two Sweet,” the singer’s first unreleased track from his fifth EP Unheard which deals with rejection, validation, gluttony, and self-indulgence. At least, that’s my reading. It could just be about taking his “whiskey neat.”
Or, it’s why there was a slightly perplexed buzz in the crowd as “Almost” came on and we all began attempting to discern the true meaning behind the lyrics: “The same kind of music/ Haunts her bedroom/ I’m almost me again/ She’s almost you.”
Is his new muse a replacement? Or, has his lover come back anew?
Like many other soulful singer-songwriters, much of Hozier’s music grapples with romantic obsessions, heartbreak, and cycles of power and abuse. But it’s also about the complexities of living with our mortality, the cruel limitations of our carbon existence, and the solace we can find in nature.
After attending his concert, you’ll be reminded that there is much more depth to him than his feisty roar, carnal hair shakes, penetrating deep green eyes, and impressive 6’6 stature. Superficially speaking, however, these qualifications are exactly why we’d fought our way to the front of the floor for the closest look.
Sound quality was of no concern. The intimate, 13,000-seat stadium was the original home of the U.S. Open, designed to optimize acoustics while preserving unobstructed views. If you can hear a tennis ball smack the ground crisply, you can certainly hear Hozier balling out his melodies.
Our close-to-front-row views were a true treat as the star gifted us with his smash “Take Me To Church” near the show’s closing. It’s the song that opened many eyes to him — and his daring live rendition reminded us exactly why we can never get it out of our heads.
It felt impossible to top it, but all bets were off when Allison Russell reappeared to help Hozier close out the evening with “Work Song.”
The pair commands intense onstage chemistry — something that is clear in the recorded vocals, but more so when you see the duo surrendering to their microphones just feet apart from each other. At that point, the purple sunset backdrop and the crescent moon behind us almost felt unnecessary.
Lovebirds in the crowd let their affections be known.
“Don’t go to one of these concerts single,” somebody chuckled behind us. “Not worth it.”
I vehemently disagreed. A hunk of a man, delicious food, easy listening. A Hozier concert is totally worth it, especially, at Forest Hills.
Hozier 2024 tour schedule
Want to catch Hozier live this year?
Get the full experience yourself at one of his next stops on the North American leg of his tour this year.
Hozier 2024 festival appearances
The powerhouse rock star is lending his talents to four (!) North American festivals later this summer.
To give you a better idea of what to expect from each extravaganza, we have all the information you’re looking for — including fellow headliners — below.
| Hozier festival dates |
|---|
| Lollapalooza Aug. 1-4 Grant Park in Chicago, IL SZA, Tyler The Creator, Blink 182, The Killers, Stray Kids |
| Hinterland Music Festival Aug. 2-4 at the Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in Saint Charles, IA Noah Kahan, Vampire Weekend, Lizzy McAlpine, Mt. Joy, Orville Peck |
| All Things Go Festival Sept. 28-29 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD Janelle Monáe, Reneé Rapp, Conan Gray, Bleachers, Chappell Roan |
| Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival Sept. 28-29 at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, TN Dave Matthews Band, Noah Kahan, NEEDTOBREATHE, Trombone Shorty, Better Than Ezra |
Hozier set list
To fill in the blanks, here’s what Hozier took to the Forest Hills stage on June 8, courtesy of Set List FM:
01.) “Eat Your Young”
02.) “Jackie and Wilson”
03.) “From Eden”
04.) “To Be Alone”
05.) “Dinner & Diatribes”
06.) “Francesca”
07.) “It Will Come Back”
08.) “Like Real People Do”
09.) “I, Carrion (Icarian)”
10.) “Wildflower and Barley” (with Allison Russell)
11.) “De Selby (Part 1)”
12.) “De Selby (Part 2)”
13.) “Would That I”
14.) “Too Sweet”
15.) “Almost (Sweet Music)”
16.) “Movement”
17.) “Take Me to Church”
B-Stage
18.) “Cherry Wine”
19.) “Unknown/Nth”
Encore
20.) “Nina Cried Power”
21.) “Work Song” (with Allison Russell)
Huge concert tours in 2024
If you’ve recently had the thought, “It’s been too long since I’ve gone to a live show,” now is the perfect time to fix that.
While it isn’t easy to find the right concert, here are five that might be perfect for a Hozier fan.
• Green Day with Smashing Pumpkins
Who else is on the road? Check out our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 here to find out.
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