2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Hozier gave Outside Lands 2025 the send-off it deserved
Irish singer-songwriter Hozier brought Outside Lands 2025 to a poignant, powerful close, delivering a heartfelt and musically rich performance that nodded to the festival's rock roots — even as festivalgoers trickled out before the final note.
Wearing a brown suede jacket and loose slacks, with his long hair tied back in a ponytail, Hozier took the stage with quiet intensity and a deep sense of gratitude on Sunday, Aug. 10.
'It's such a gift to be back doing Outside Lands,' he told the crowd. 'I was here a few years back now, down the other side of the hill, and I was taken by the fog rolling in. It's such a beautiful site. It's a beautiful city you have here.'
His set spanned his full discography, opening with the haunting two-part 'De Selby,' then shifting into high-energy favorites like 'Jackie and Wilson' and 'Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene.'
Newer hits — including the chart-topping 'Too Sweet' — were met with enthusiastic sing-alongs, while deeper cuts like 'I, Carrion (Icarian)' and 'Would That I' showcased his range, moving effortlessly from bluesy grit to gospel-tinged grace.
In a weekend dominated by rising stars in rap, pop and EDM, Hozier's performance felt like a return to form — a reminder of the festival's earlier years, when guitar-driven acts like Radiohead, Pearl Jam and Neil Young took top billing.
'You still with us?' he asked midway through, drawing cheers before launching into the tender 'Like Real People Do.' Later, he added, 'You put a smile on my face. Thank you, Outside Lands,' before easing into 'From Eden,' which drew swaying and sing-alongs from the crowd.
The set crescendoed with a soaring rendition of 'Take Me to Church,' before Hozier surprised fans with an intimate B-stage encore of 'Cherry Wine' and 'Unknown/Nth.'
Despite the thinning crowd, Hozier's sincerity and magnetic stage presence transformed the end of the festival into something reverent — a final act grounded in melody, meaning, and a deep love for live music.
