Hozier took to the stage at Cork’s Independent Park proclaiming “It’s so fucking good to be home.”

Walking onstage to the roar of a packed crowd, with a chorus of spectators singing along with every word right from the start, it was clear that Andrew Hozier-Byrne really was delighted to be home. Pausing the music, Hozier took a moment to show his gratitude. With outstretched arms and a joyous smile he revelled in what really was a phenomenal welcome home to Ireland.  

Then, he burst into some songs off his latest album Wasteland Baby! including 'Nobody', 'No Plan' and 'Dinner and Diatribes'. On the latter, beautiful visuals of flames picked up on the fire portrayed in the music video for the track. It's clear the Bray-born boy knows how to mount a show!

'From Eden', one of his first-ever releases, gave Andy a moment to step back, allowing the crowd sing the beautifully crafted lyrics, before he took over again, finishing the final chorus to a wild eruption of cheers.

He then spoke about the doomsday clock being moved to 2 mins to midnight while he was writing Wasteland Baby! in mid-2016.  The song ‘Wasteland Baby’, he told fans, is a love song to the end of the world. Along with his gorgeous and powerful voice, the lyrics enraptured the crowd. It was a spell-binding performance.

Throughout the concert, his intricate guitar finger-work was mesmerising to watch and hear. The tempo slowed for 'Jackie and Wilson', a song from his first album and both Hozier and his band made their instruments sing in harmony with his carefully wrought lyrics. 

And then, the finale: 'Take Me To Church', the song that started it all for Hozier, saw the sunset sky being lit up afresh by phones held high.

With the crowd continuing to sing his melodies in sporadic outbursts. Hozier returned to the stage, solo, for an encore! He delivered two beautiful, stripped-back versions of more music from Wasteland Baby!, including my favourite, ‘Shrike’.

To end a fantastic night, he was rejoined by his band – whom he introduced one by one – before Maggie Rodgers (one of his opening supports) emerged for ‘Work Song’. We all crawled out of the park to go home to our empty cribs satisfied that it was a night to be remembered.