I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: July 28, 2019] Hozier @ Newport Folk Festival

Ever since I learned that Hozier’s “Nina Cried Power” featured Mavis Staples who knew Nina Simone, I was more blown away by the song.

From Billboard:

it was important to me to have Mavis involved. She was kind of there at the beginning of the song. Even when the song was in its embryonic state and the idea of it was forming, I wanted to credit the legacy of the artists in that song and the names were kind of popping into my head, [and] I knew it needed Mavis. I just felt incredibly fortunate and honored that she got where the song was coming from and vibed with it and was up for being a part of the song.

I’d already been impressed by “Take Me to Church” and “Jackie & Wilson,” so I knew I’d want to see him live.

S. was interested in seeing him as well. So she, T. and I went to the main stage.  The two of them hung back in the shade and I wanted to get up close for the first couple of songs.  Well, the left side where I had been going was actually full!  But I went around to the right side and there was plenty of room so I got up pretty close and got the best picture of the festival.

He came out and I was amazed by his charisma (and his height).

He had an acoustic guitar and a full band and they played “Would That I.”  It’s a relatively slow song, but it was a good opener to showcase his acoustic guitar playing and his voice.

He followed it with “Dinner & Diatribes,” a more rocking song with some gorgeous backing vocals.

And then he did what I was secretly hoping but never imagined he would do: he called Mavis Staples up on the stage.  And I was right there to see it.  I know that she has performed with him a number of times, but he also played the XPN Fest that weekend and Mavis wasn’t there.  (So I got the better show).

I love when he was singing the verses and during the list of people, he sang, “mabis cried power,” which made her smile.  Having Mavis sing “Nina Cried Power” with him was amazingly emotional.  To see her so happy (and to even wave her arms in the air) was great.  I was concerned because her voice was a little low in the mix, but when it came to the next verse, she sounded amazing.

It was so cute to see them hug at the end (he’s almost a foot and a half taller than her).

Mavis left and he busted out what I have since learned is a Bohemian Guitar  to play “To Be Alone”  This was a beautiful song that I stayed for about half of and then decided to go back to the family and hang with them–I mean after seeing Mavis, I was emotionally spent.

We stayed for a few more songs and then I decided I needed to go see Portugal: The Man.  In the main post you’ll read that that didn’t work out as I wanted and I probably should have stayed with Hozier.

However, he is playing in Philly in a couple of months and I may just need to see him again (even without Mavis)–bad news is that it just sold out.

I can’t believe that no one is recording what songs people played at the set (and that NPR doesn’t have streams available in their site this year!  What gives!

But for his set at XPN Fest he played this.  I suspect his set at XPN Fest was longer than the one at Newport so let’s assume he knocked a couple of these songs off but he did end with “Take Me to Church.”

SETLIST

1. Would That I
2. Dinner & Diatribes
3. Nina Cried Power
4. To Be Alone
5. Someone New
6. Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
7. Nobody
8. Talk
9. From Eden
10. Work Song
11. No Plan
12. Almost (Sweet Music)
13. Jackie and Wilson
14. Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue)
15. Movement
16. Take Me to Church