George Ezra at Ryman
photo by Carmen O'Hagan
George Ezra at Ryman
photo by Carmen O'Hagan
Hozier at Ryman Auditorium
photo by Carmen O'Hagan
Hozier at Ryman
photo by Carmen O'Hagan
Hozier
photo by Carmen O'Hagan
Irish singer-songwriter, Andrew Hozier-Byrne, simply known as Hozier, played an impressive sold-out, three-night run at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium March 14, 16, and 17.
George Ezra opened for all three nights with a thirty-minute set consisting of songs from his debut album Wanted on Voyage. It’s easy to tell that the 21-year old British performer is a traveler. Ezra told stories of his journeys to introduce songs such as “Budapest” and “Barcelona.” His album was written based off of notes he took while on a month-long trip across Europe.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this young performer is his voice. Though he might look like any other twenty-something artist these days, with his blond hair and black jeans, his voice is far from what one might expect. It’s deep and moody, sounding bluesier and more mature than any of Ezra’s pop contemporaries. The crowd broke into a roar as the beat kicked in during his last song “Did You Hear the Rain?” giving Ezra a standing ovation to end his set.
Hozier, whose genre can be described as anything from indie rock to soul to folk to blues, provided the perfect blend of them all during his turn on stage. From his folksy duet, “In a Week” with cellist Alana Henderson, to his rockier “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene,” Hozier kept the audience’s attention all night.
Choosing to take his encore after his mega-hit “Take Me to Church,” could have been a risk giving people the opportunity to leave early after hearing the most popular song of the night. However, the sold-out crowd only screamed louder and became more involved, turning the 2,362 seat venue into a massive choir when he returned to play the slow ballad, “Cherry Wine.” He commented that had never happened before. He thanked the audience profusely and took a bow with his entire band to end the show.
Hozier will be returning to the area to play at this year’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in June.