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After over two years on the road, Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth” tour closed on October 14th, 2025. The show was beloved by fans worldwide, and many are already missing the tour immensely. In the past two years, I have been lucky enough to go four times: once in Virginia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Hershey (shoutout to my mom, who bought the tickets and likes him as much as I do!)
I could discuss the fact that Hozier was just 10 feet away from me in Virginia or the fact that there was a weather delay of over three hours in Columbus, but this article will mainly focus on the concert at Hersheypark Stadium. This show was the closest to the end of the tour and had more relevance to current events. Plus, I was a row away from being in the pit!
Before Hozier came on stage, he had two opening acts: an Irish band called Amble and an independent singer named Gigi Perez. Unfortunately, I missed Amble’s performance, but Perez’s performance was nothing short of incredible. Perez, who is known for her hit single “Sailor Song,” had only started touring in 2024, but she already has an extremely strong stage presence. Her confidence is radiant, and her voice is gorgeous; I would argue that she sounds better live than she does in the studio. Perez was also very complimentary of Hozier and repeatedly said that the concert would “change your life;” It is clear that they work very well together and really appreciate each other. Since Hozier’s tour ended, Perez has begun touring on her own, which I cannot recommend highly enough. out of those I’ve seen, she is one of the best performers of our generation.
Hozier’s Official Set List:
- De Selby (Part 1)
- De Selby (Part 2)
- Jackie and Wilson
- Nobody’s Soldier
- Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
- Dinner and Diatribes
- Eat Your Young
- Would That I
- Like Real People Do
- From Eden
- Abstract (Psychopomp)
- Francesca
- First Time
- Too Sweet
- Someone New
- Almost (Sweet Music)
- Movement
- Take Me To Church
- Cherry Wine – B Stage
- Unknown / Nth – B Stage
- Nina Cried Power
- Work Song
(Source: setlist.fm)
The tour had many returning favorites, like “Jackie and Wilson,” “Dinner and Diatribes,” “Francesca,” and, of course, “Too Sweet.” These songs have been played at all four shows I attended. Some more uncommon songs consisted of “Abstract (Psychopomp)” and “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene.” The only songs I haven’t heard until Hershey were “From Eden” and “First Time,” both of which are beautiful live. The latter was sound checked before the show; upon learning this, the pit requested it by chanting “First Time!”
After “Take Me To Church,” Hozier often descends into the crowd to a B Stage so people in the back can get a closer performance. “Cherry Wine,” which is performed without the band, is almost always performed at this stage. The song is accompanied by the audience singing along and waving their phone flashlights. Often, he will sing another song before he goes back to the regular stage. At this particular concert, it was “Unknown / Nth,” which is also typically performed in this way.
Once Hozier returns to the regular stage, he sings “Nina Cried Power,” which is accompanied by a discussion about some modern political issues, like the genocide in Gaza, queer rights, and gender equality. He wrote this song with Mavis Staples, a Civil Rights activist and artist, whom he clearly admires deeply and takes a lot of inspiration from. Hozier takes pride in using his platform to help his fans and expresses a lot of gratitude for their support of him, his music, and his values.
“I want to thank you so so much for letting me speak for a moment, Hershey. And I want to thank you for letting me witness […] the everyday goodwill, the everyday compassion, [and] the everyday empathy that is so f****** powerful that I’m seeing in the crowd here tonight.”
Hozier is known to be an incredibly grateful and generous person. He led the stadium in singing “Happy Birthday” for his drummer, Rory Doyle. At the end of the show, he also credited every person who helped him with his show as the band took their final bows. He does this at every show to properly thank each worker at every stadium. He truly is a very kind individual who is deeply interested in the lives of those around him.
The show was unanimously loved in reviews, but many had complaints about the venue. Hersheypark Stadium has a 2.6 average review on TripAdvisor, with many stating that it takes 2+ hours to leave the venue due to extreme congestion and a lack of transportation methods. I myself had this issue. It appeared that only 2-3 shuttles were running from hotels to the stadium, with thousands of people trying to make it on time. I also had to throw away the sign I had made because it was too large, yet I had no way to access that information before the concert. Other audience members complained of having personal items, like cameras, confiscated. This security process was very sporadic overall and frustrating to many. I would not recommend Hersheypark Stadium for concerts, especially for larger artists like Hozier.
Overall, “Unreal Unearth” was an amazing tour, and it truly was life-changing. Hozier is a very profound being, but he also loves to interact with his audience, making the show equally beautiful and fun. Following the tour and its events was such a joy, and it really brought Hozier’s fanbase together; I still talk to some of the people I met at the show. If ever given the opportunity, I would highly recommend going to one of his shows in the future, even if you do not listen to his music– just don’t go to Hersheypark Stadium!
My Stats:
- Songs Cried To: 5
- Shuttle Bus Drivers Yelled At: 1
- Merchandise Items Purchased: 2
- Total Merchandise Items Owned: 6
- Total Videos Taken: 18
- Total Photos Taken: 186
Also, here’s a fun detail: Hozier often posts photos from every concert, and I spotted the back of my head in his Hershey post! You can tell that it’s me from the halo of red, frizzy hair!
