Photo by DYLAN LONG
To say that last night’s sold out performance at the Electric Factory by Irish pop sensation Andrew Hozier-Byrne — known simply as Hozier — was “highly anticipated” by most, if not all, babysitter-aged young ladies in the Tri-State area is an understatement on par with “invading Iraq might have been a bad idea” or “Dallas Cowboys fans are assholes.” Last night, Hozier’s tight brogue and loose man-bun had teenage girls in the front row squealing and swooning as he effortlessly cruised through his set like it was a 90-minute victory lap, taking time between nearly every song to praise the hometown crowd or spin yarns of his ridiculous adventures back in Ireland. His backing band seemed to rep the full global spectrum of the United Nations, bringing a beautiful blend of cultural and musical diversities to the proceedings and adding an additional layer of raw goodness, peace on Earth and goodwill towards men (and women). After finishing out the evening with the velveteen pomp of his ubiquitous mega-hit, “Take Me To Church,” Hozier returned for a three-song encore, ending with a jaw-dropping rendition of “Work Song” that seemed to leave the capacity crowd in a state of shock and awe. — DYLAN LONG