Irish singer Hozier brings woodsy rhythms to Pavilion at Star Lake

Hozier brought the rhythm and blues to his sold-out Unreal Unearth Tour stop Monday night at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown.

The Irish singer opened his concert with “De Selby (Part 1)” and “De Selby (Part 2).” Both featured imagery of tiny blue lights like rain in the background.

“How you doin’ out there this evening?” Hozier asked the crowd as an introduction. “It’s so good to be here.”

He performed the hit “Jackie and Wilson” from his debut album, which was released in 2014.

Hozier plays his hit “Jackie and Wilson” here at the Pavilion at Star Lake @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/clclYOoi3Z

— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) July 30, 2024

“Isn’t this such a pretty evening?” Hozier commented on the beautiful weather. (Though the venue narrowly avoided a downpour during his performance, the drive in was bleak.)

Hozier’s outdoorsy theme was on display during “From Eden,” with a silhouette of mountains and trees.

“It’s warm, isn’t it?” he asked the crowd. “It’s too late for me, but I recommend don’t wear a denim jacket.”

He then played “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene” and “Dinner & Diatribes” before transitioning into “Francesca,” which was a crowd-pleaser.

Large upside-down fake trees were then lowered from the top of the stage, where they remained for the rest of the concert.

Hozier pointed out a fan in the crowd who was wearing a T-shirt with a tweet of his from 2012 about silica gel packets.

Be quiet, Silica Gel, can't you see I'm starving.

— Hozier (@Hozier) December 26, 2012

“Thanks for reminding me of that … mortifying,” Hozier told the fan.

He also played “It Will Come Back” and slowed it down with “I, Carrion (Icarian),” which featured images of white feathers floating in the background. The audience also turned on their phone lights for that tune.

“Abstract (Psychopomp)” was next, and it was one of the best parts of the night — with it’s striking synths and memorable bridge.

When Hozier tried to sing “Like Real People Do,” he had to restart the song because he messed up the words.

“It’s live music,” he told the audience, laughing. “That’s how you know it’s live.”

Hozier brought opener Allison Russell back onstage for “Wildflower and Barley,” a song he said he wrote during the pandemic — that’s special to him.

Russell, a Canadian singer and activist, dazzled the crowd with the Rainbow Coalition Band and her clarinet solos.

“If it can get better for me, it can get better for anyone,” she said after discussing her challenging upbringing.

Hozier’s hits “Would That I” and “Too Sweet” elicited loud cheers from the audience.

“Would That I” — from
Hozier’s 2019 album “Wasteland, Baby!” @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/yeP1aZRwgf

— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) July 30, 2024

He thanked everyone for streaming “Too Sweet,” as it became his first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Rounding out the regular portion of the concert, he played “Almost (Sweet Music),” with encouraged the audience to clap along with the rhythms, “Eat Your Young,” featuring strong drums and harmonies and “Movement,” a tune from his latest album.

“Take Me to Church” brought the house down, and at the end of the iconic tune, he put a Pride flag on his mic stand that he seemingly acquired from the audience. He also gave heart hands to the crowd before walking offstage.

A close-up shot of @Hozier giving high-fives to the crowd ????‍♂️ @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/vUD7N0dG8y

— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) July 30, 2024

For the encore, Hozier pleasantly surprised the audience by performing two hits on a small stage in the crowd: “Cherry Wine” as a solo acoustic and “Unknown / Nth” on electric guitar.

Before singing “Nina Cried Power,” he encouraged the audience to reach out to their local political representatives in support of Palestinians and a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We sometimes take for granted … the fact that we still have our own weekends to look forward to, he said. “Every single citizen should have the right to vote.”

Hozier ended his woodsy tour with a performance of the popular “Work Song,” with Russell alongside him.

Setlist

De Selby (Part 1)

De Selby (Part 2)

Jackie and Wilson

From Eden

Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene

Dinner & Diatribes

Francesca

It Will Come Back

I, Carrion (Icarian)

Abstract (Psychopomp)

Like Real People Do

(messed up twice & restarted)

Wildflower and Barley

Would That I

Too Sweet

Almost (Sweet Music)

Eat Your Young

Movement

Take Me to Church

Encore:

Cherry Wine

(B Stage)

Unknown/Nth

(B Stage)

Nina Cried Power

(with Melissa McMillan)

Work Song

(with Allison Russell)