Live Review: Hozier at Metro • Chicago

Brassneck | May 17, 2023

Hozier

Hozier

Metro

Chicago, IL

May 16, 2023

By Aubrey Vernon

Irish singer/songwriter Hozier’s “pop-up show” at Metro was, as expected, a uniquely intimate moment for lucky fans who were able to score tickets at the iconic 1100-seat venue. 2023 promises to be a good year for Andrew Hozier-Byrne, who just announced his third album (with an August 18th drop date), Unreal Unearth, which includes songs “Eat Your Young” and “All Things End” released on his Eat Your Young EP earlier this spring. A third track, “Francesca,” drops Friday, May 19. Along with his limited run of pop-up shows, Hozier’s full North American tour comes back to Chicago in September.

On a picture-perfect Tuesday evening, he commenced his 90-minute set with the rousingly satirical “Eat Your Young”— the title track from the new EP— accompanied by his eight-piece band. Striking for the audience and band alike was how Hozier’s music dramatically translates to an intimate setting like Metro. As celebratory as his set was at Lollapalooza (2019), these pop-up shows let the crowd connect on another level. His set combined his well-known material (“Jackie and Wilson,” the vocal-heavy “Movement”) and a few surprising deep cuts (“Dinner & Diatribes” and “Nobody” from Wasteland, Baby!). Midway through the set, the band left the stage while he performed a striking rendition of “Cherry Wine” from his self-titled debut album, leaving the audience in quiet awe. He closed his set with his 2013 breakthrough hit “Take Me To Church” and encouraged the crowd to sing along, making it a therapeutic and joyful closer.

Chicago-based opener Elizabeth Moen showcased her powerful and bluesy set to a captive audience of Hozier fans who seemed genuinely intrigued by her music. As reviewed in IE in February, Moen’s set yolked her alt-country/soulful singing, meshing an edgy punk Patsy Cline with Jessi Colter and Madison Cunningham.

Setlist Metro 5/16: via Setlist.FM