Arriving at 8 p.m. on a Friday night in the heart of San Francisco, my mom and I were anxious to enter the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and experience the wonders of Hozier in concert. After we made our way out of the frigid city air, we were intrigued to find that the venue had no assigned seating (admittedly this could have been understood if we had read our tickets anytime in the four months they sat in our inboxes). While seating options were limited by the time we arrived, I honestly think anywhere in the auditorium would be suitable for this concert. Since the visual effects were not over-the-top, the main attractions were Hozier’s incredible vocal and musical talents. Personally, I think this was the perfect setup for his type of music. There was no need for crazy theatrics when I was stunned by the simple intro to “Would That I” on acoustic guitar. The set list included many classics as well as a few songs from his latest album, Unreal Unearth. For me, the most surprising part of the concert was when he said not many people would recognize “Cherry Wine”, a song I consider to be one of his best. While my mom and I didn’t dare venture into the GA section of the venue (we saw too many TikToks referencing the lack of deodorant at Hozier concerts..), we may have made the best choice for another reason. By the end of the concert, the poor man had stopped the show at least 7 times for separate people passing out in the audience. Luckily, from what we could tell everyone was alright, and the concert ended only around half an hour later than expected. Unluckily, the song we had been waiting for (“Work Song” (debatably his best song (according to my mother))) was the very last song on the setlist. Even with the interruptions and possible body odor problems, I think this concert was an amazing experience. Hozier’s talents are truly unmatched and his music really has something for everyone. If you haven’t listened to any of his songs yet, I encourage you to take a look at any of the ones I’ve mentioned, or find something new!
