Hozier review: Irish star captivated audience through torrents

In classic move for British summertime, Finsbury Park alternated with a blazing sun so hot shirts were removed and a bone deep rain that meant the surrounding shops ran out of emergency rain ponchos.

That didn’t stop Hozier fans in the thousands spending hours on the muddy grass to hear the Irish singer in person, though.

As he graced the stage, Hozier urged his fans to show support to the three warm-up: Ye Vagabonds, Lord Huron - who is best recognised for 'The Night We Met' fame - and Brittany Howard who would return to the stage to sing alongside Hozier.

Although the day had been more dreary than not. Hozier thanked the audience for sending away the rain which brought out giggles from his fans. Hozier's latest album is an exploration of Dante's Inferno and its depiction of the nine circles of Hell. Eat Your Young was the artist's first choice for gluttony and it quickly became apparent that the folk singer's talent isn't limited to just on album recordings.

Following each song Hozier would thank the audience and shout out individual members of his band. These small moments managed to convey an intimacy that was felt by each member of the audience despite it being made up of 45,000 people.

The entire performance was a testament to Hozier's talent alongside his impressive band but the standouts had to be the viral Too Sweet and Movement.

Too Sweet is the artist's first UK number-one single, and that was clear with how the audience came alive with it being clear everyone knew it word for word.

Despite it being arguably his biggest hit, Too Sweet was an alternative song to represent gluttony and was originally pushed aside for Eat Your Young. Movement was felt inside the body thanks to the beat of the drum, alongside clever editing on the screen it felt like being submerged in water as the song suggested.

The encore consisted of four songs and it was during this that came the most memorable moment of the entire set - which is saying something after spending 8 hours in a muddy Finsbury Park.

Hozier gave a five-minute long speech acknowledging the American and Irish civil rights movements, the fight for women to be allowed to vote in the UK and Pride month which was particularly poignant as this took place just days on from the UK general election and the end of Pride month.

He urged his fans to take note of the things they take for granted, including not waking up in fear of their neighbours, and to write to their MPs to urge for a ceasefire in the Middle East. The powerful speech was followed by protest song Nina Cried Power with an electricity sitting over the crowd.

Hozier setlist

• Eat Your Young
• Jackie and Wilson
• From Eden
• To Be Alone
• Dinner & Diatribes
• Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
• Francesca
• Like Real People Do
• I, Carrion (Icarian)
• De Selby (Part 2)
• Would That I
• Feelin' Alright (Joe Cocker cover) (with Brittany Howard)
• Too Sweet
• Almost (Sweet Music)
• Movement
• Take Me to Church
• Encore:
• Cherry Wine
• Unknown/Nth
• Nina Cried Power (with Melissa McMillan) (preceded by speech on civil rights)
• Work Song