For as many times I’ve been to Xcel Energy Center—whether for a hockey game or concert—I’ve never seen it more packed than it was for Hozier on Aug. 17. After playing a one-off pop-up show at First Avenue last May, the Irish musician was treated to another warm welcome from Minnesota fans at his “Unreal Unearth” tour stop in St. Paul last week.
Photo by Macy Harder
Opening act Allison Russell, a Canadian singer and activist, kicked off the show with a dazzling, dreamy set and a big voice that captivated everyone in the crowd. I was unfamiliar with her work beyond the collaboration she did with Hozier on the song “Wildflower and Barley,” which debuted earlier this year. Rich in political and social justice commentary, Russell made a point to engage with discourse on ongoing unrest in nations around the world, from Palestine to Sudan; along with notions of building community and taking care of one another, even bringing her daughter and niece on stage for her last song.
Needless to say, I’ll be listening to more of her work in the very near future. A similar sentiment was felt when I saw Madison Cunningham open for Hozier in Chicago last year. Cunningham brought her folk-rock flair to the stage and set an exciting tone for the show, after which Hozier delivered nearly two hours of encapsulating performances.
After a brief intermission in St. Paul—or long, depending on how eager you were to see the tall Irishman walk on stage—Hozier stepped out and the immediate roaring of the crowd brought a sense of palpable excitement to everyone around me. Without hesitation, he opened the show with “Eat Your Young,” one of two singles he released ahead of his full “Unreal Unearth” album. He then jumped into “Jackie and Wilson” from his 2014 self-titled album, a playful nod to the famous soul singer Jackie Wilson and one of my personal favorites (though, I can’t honestly say I have ever heard a bad Hozier song).
He proceeded to take a pause and let the audience know he and his band had been fighting off a bit of illness, noting that the setlist will be slightly altered and he might need some vocal assistance from the crowd, who was happy to oblige. He dove right into punchy, beat-heavy tunes from his earlier albums, like “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene,” “Dinner & Diatribes,” and the other “Unreal Unearth” single, “Francesca.” Despite being sick, Hozier still managed to pull off his impressive, belting vocals fans know and love.
These tracks were followed by the sultry “It Will Come Back” and the Icarus-inspired ballad “I, Carrion (Icarian).” He brought Russell back on stage for “Wildflower and Barley,” a vocal pairing that just works so well together. Personally dubbed classics from his 2019 “Wasteland, Baby!” album included “From Eden,” stripped down to an acoustic ballad, and “Would That I,” the latter of which is likely my all-time favorite composition of his. He wrapped up his main set with “De Selby (Part 2),” the new hit “Too Sweet,” “First Time,” and “Almost (Sweet Music),” closing with the one that gave him his claim to fame—“Take Me to Church.” The performance spanned all eras of Hozier’s 11-year discography, delighting fans new and old.
After a brief pause, the encore started with his well-loved ballad “Cherry Wine,” followed by his political anthem “Nina Cried Power,” before which he, like Russell, spoke on civil and political unrest around the world, the Irish civil rights movement (inspired by the one in the U.S. in the 1960s), and how we might approach this election year through both a domestic and foreign lens. The song was originally sung with rhythm and blues and gospel singer Mavis Staples and pays homage to artist-activists of previous generations, including Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and several others. For both the Chicago and St. Paul performances, Hozier had touring backup vocalist Melissa McMillan sing Staples’ lines—and I think I’m satisfied to say that she does the song absolute justice.
He closed the encore with “Work Song” accompanied by Russell, a slow tune filled with yearning and framed by gospel vocals, a long-time favorite from his self-titled album.
In all, I will always enjoy a Hozier concert—his music only seems to get better with time, and that’s saying something given that his “Take Me to Church” debut was a showstopper. His newest EP, “Unreal Unearth: Unaired” (a collection of tracks that didn’t make it into the full-length album), is already on repeat, and I’m excited to see what he might do in the future—with hopes that he doesn’t go completely underground for another four years.
