Irish singer songwriter Hozier battles the elements on the first night of Lytham Festival to deliver a rousing performance of
rock 'n blues 'n soul 'n gospel.

★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

HOZIER PERFORMING AT LYTHAM FESTIVAL 2024
PHOTOCREDIT: TREV EALES

It's been raining all afternoon but as I arrive in Lytham the clouds part and the sun breaks through. Unfortunately it isn't a sign of positive things to come. First on stage today are Ye Vagabonds, an Irish folk band fronted by Brian and Diarmuid MacGloinn. They've got a pleasing melodic sound. Acoustic guitars and mandolin, harmony vocals backed by double bass with a keyboard washing generating a modern take on the genre. Mostly they're about self penned songs in a traditional style. They're well received too, with plenty of applause.

Lord Huron are up next, delivering their brand of American roots rock. Musically, they're hard to pin down but country tinged mellow rock prevails. Touchstones are late 1960's icons The Band but there are echoes of Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket and the mellow side of Kings Of Leon. Vocalist Ben Schneider confidently strides across the stage in tan suit and stetson. He's quickly grasping his hat as the force of the developing gale hits him. Within minutes the hat's gone, blown off to somewhere along the Lancashire coast. It's a sign of things to come.

Across the hour long set, tracks from their Strange Trails album dominate. Meet Me In The Woods and Dead Man's Hand come early with the delicate The Night We Met and Not Dead Yet closing the performance. They're a pretty visual experience with plenty of interaction between band members. Warmly received, with polite applause they're a good watch and listen but there's a sense that most of those present are unfamiliar with their material.

I last saw Brittany Howard 12 years ago fronting blues and soul outfit Alabama Shakes. They were the epitome of raw energy and power. Just drums, bass, guitar and Brittany's passionate voice. Within 10 minutes sweat was flowing profusely down Brittany's face. Today there's no sweat and little energy. Raw passion has given way to control, a wider musical palate and some excellent backing musicians.

Brittany's voice is still as impressive as ever and she still plays some tasteful guitar. It's soul that dominates the performance with a few excursions into funk. She's followed her muse (or maybe the money) and there's nothing wrong with that. This is a well performed, well choreographed set but for me she's a performer heading toward coffee table musak. Like those earlier in the evening she's well received but I can't help wondering how many in the crowd know the journey her career's taken.

As the sun goes down, the wind becomes a gale, temperature drops and we begin to shiver. Those lacking sufficient layers are starting to suffer. Hozier and his 8 piece band stroll on stage. For some, their dress suggests they're ill equipped for the weather but this is showbusiness; the show must go on.

Opener Eat Your Own, complete with quasi falsetto vocals, generates a few knowing cheers but the more rock based Jackie and Wilson with it's unusual phrasing brings the audience to life. To Be Alone delves into the blues; refreshingly simple and emotive with some tasteful guitar, it's chorus is also an opportunity for tonight's first community singing. Shifting genres, Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene embraces infectious gospel as the song gradually builds.

The band play on but the weather is beginning to take it's toll. Delivering Like Real People Do sans guitar, Hozier's hands shift from pocket to pocket trying to keep warm; fingers increasingly too cold to feel while playing guitar. He's clearly shocked by the conditions, commenting on the temperature drop since leaving Madrid's 31 degrees this morning. Meanwhile, out in the fields most are struggling to keep warm in the biting wind chill and the gale is playing havoc with sound for those on the north side of the stage.

The pace slows and there's a mellow, laid back tone mid set, with I Currion particularly memorable; an amalgam of Irish balladry and the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel. A little later, number one single Too Sweet brings the biggest mass reaction of the night so far while the celtic soul of Almost (Sweet Music) is reminiscent of Van Morrison in places. He closes with Take Me To Church; cue mass singing on the chorus and huge applause.

The band are soon back for an extended encore but many are starting to leave. So how was tonight's performance? How about letting the fans decide. I'm sat on a crowded park and ride bus waiting to depart. It's eerily quiet and the driver, puzzled by the near silence, gets out of her cabin to ask, “Wasn't Hozier any good?” She's met by a loud response. “No, he was good but it's just so cold!” Another voice calls out, “It's too cold to enjoy anything.” In football parlance, let's say that tonight was a score draw: Hozier 1 – The weather 1.