Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth” Concert
December 22, 2023
Listening to an artist is one thing, but as we know, experiencing them live is quite another.
The day started like any other. My roommates, Gennie, Camille, and I were making breakfast and talking about our hopes and dreams. Laughter echoed through our home as the night’s approaching plans were far from our minds. Eventually, Camille asked Gennie and I if we were excited about the concert—only then did it sink in that once night fell I’d be seeing, in person, an artist that I’d been listening to for years.
I began listening to Hozier in 2014 when his debut album, “Hozier”, was first released. At the ripe age of 13, I fell in love with his voice, storylines, and ability to target my heart through folk instruments. I listened to that same album on and off for years, but lost touch with him over time. I didn’t listen to much of his 2019 album “Wasteland, Baby!”, mostly because I was unaware of its release, but when, “Unreal Unearth” dropped earlier this fall, I thought it would be a casual fun activity to revisit his voice and see what stories he was telling now. From the moment it began, I quickly realized that this is not a casual listening album. This is a “stay up until 2 am crying, absorbing, and contemplating life” album, which is exactly how I experienced it that first night. Since the album’s release in August, I’ve listened to it regularly, learning the lyrics through osmosis and having Hozier re-occupy my daily thoughts. Buying the tickets was an easy decision that I roped my roommate Gennie and her boyfriend Robin into experiencing with me.
Once we had finished breakfast on that fateful concert day, the rest of my time was spent stewing in anticipation for the night’s upcoming event. I don’t even remember what I did, probably read a book or sat around twiddling my thumbs, simply killing time before I could start getting ready. I think any woman will relate to this, but getting ready for a concert or any major event starts at least 3 hours ahead of time. Once you’re fed up with doing nothing all day except for waiting for a reasonable time to start getting ready, you finally begin the process of planning and preparing your night’s look, a time honored tradition of women everywhere. The concert was at 8 pm and I’m pretty sure I started getting ready around 5 pm, a full three hours before. I figured out my outfit, hair, makeup, and put it all together within an hour, the excitement of the concert fueling my limbs. On our way to the Prague 7 venue, 25-30 minutes away, Gennie and I sat in the Uber with butterflies swirling our stomachs. We were excited for the night and nervous for what Hozier might be feeling, seeing as both of us know the pre-performance jitters we get in front of a few people, let alone hundreds.
“Are you nervous about going to the concert at all? You know, because of all those people,” I asked Gennie on our way to the venue. Concerts always scare me—the trauma of seeing American terrorism on television.
“Nope.”, she said with a smile, “I know we’re protected. We’re going to have a great night, see an incredible performer, and go to a concert! It’s so exciting!”
With Gennie’s reassurance easing my brain we were ready to find our way inside.
Our standing spots were perfect, we were in direct eye-line of the stage the entire night. Before the concert started, there were occasional screams from the audience thinking Hozier was coming to the stage and people were filing in being packed like sardines, standing as close to one another as possible (an experience that still stresses me out even after two years post-lockdown). A rouge balloon popped next to me while a couple of girls were trying to inflate it, making me wonder if I’d manifested the *pop* through my worry. Then finally, the lights went down, yells erupted from the crowd, and the show began with a strum of the electric guitar.
Like any concert, it blinked by. Flashes of colorful lights, occasionally blinding us, created an atmosphere with each song. Bass shook our ribs and moved our souls. Hozier was humble and gracious with a perfectly tuned voice, his years of performing visible in his unbelievably powerful tone. The stage was filled with various performers in his crew: a violinist, cellist, pianist, drummer, two background vocalists (who each had incredible solos), a multitude of guitars for Hozier to switch between, and a producer doing the filler noises and percussion heard on the originally recorded tracks. The songs sounded identical, as if they were being played from Spotify, but of course the live performance gave them more heart and a unique authentic quality.
My favorite songs were those from his newest album, they felt important and true. “Unreal Unearth” has a historical power to it. Hozier brought us into his world as an Irishman telling us stories about the history of his country and paired them with various mythological references of a journey into Hell. Similarly to his previous albums, the songs hold many potential meanings and conversations, with many of the themes relating to romance and pain, but the difference with this album is that it expresses narratives in an even more crafted and medieval way.
Tears were shed, bodies were danced, and souls were moved. We left Hozier’s concert in awe of his and the entire crew’s abilities and talents. Stepping out of the venue and into the cold snowy air made us retreat inwards, leaving us with a silent tram ride home as we contemplated the beauty of what we’d just witnessed.
…
It’s been two weeks since the concert, all of it still clear in my mind. Life has moved on and my roommates have gone home to their families for the Christmas break, and yet I sit here writing about the concert and feeling grateful to have experienced it. If you ever have the chance to see Hozier live please do so. His voice is powerful and his compositions unlock a part of my soul that’s ancient and lives within us all. It was a beautiful thing to witness and an honor to have felt.
Thanks for reading :)
