I can’t believe it’s been a week already. Time goes fast! Anyway, here’s the story:
After his concert at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre on October 18th (it was great, btw! one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to), 50 people or so (including myself) waited by the buses on the left side of the venue. As you might know, he ocasionally greets fans after shows, but not always. In fact, the very same day of the concert he tweeted this:
I knew I probably wouldn’t see him, but I still wanted to try. After waiting for an hour, more or less, his manager Sarah came out and told us he wouldn’t come to meet us; she didn’t want him to get sick because he still has shows for the next two months. She also told us he didn’t want us to wait in the rain (it was really cold as well.) Most people left after that.
I forgot to mention that I traveled from Mexico City to Vancouver *just* to see him, as he isn’t coming to my country with this tour. At that point, I only wanted to see him leave, even if only from afar. I remember I told myself, “you didn’t come to another country to give up so easily, just like that.” So I stayed.
After two hours, there were only 6 people left (they were really cool and nice.) We saw the band getting into the bus, and we waved them goodbye. Then the security officer that chatted with us during our waiting told us to go to the main gate of the venue. When we got there, he was like, “ok, he’s gonna come out and sign your things/take pictures, but you have to promise me you’ll leave after he does so.” And of course we all agreed!
Andrew was there within 2 minutes. I still can’t believe I didn’t lose my shit right there. I got really nervous, and I’m sure I behaved awkwardly, but you guys got to understand! I was seeing the man I admire so much with my own eyes, right in front of me!
He was really nice and kind. He talked with every single one of us, took pictures and signed our stuff. When it was my turn, he looked at me with his beautiful, green eyes, offered me his hand for a handshake and asked me how I was doing. I almost went blank, LMAO. His hand was warm and soft, and way bigger than mine. While he was signing my vinyl, I told him I really hoped to see him in Mexico City. He told me he really wanted to, and remembered the time he went for a concert in 2015. I also gave him some gifts: Irish sweets, a letter, some messages from Latin American fans (por cierto, gracias a todas las chicas que participaron), a beanie and a scarf (both of them hand-knitted by me.) When I gave him the presents, he had this thankful look on his face (even his manager went “aww!”) and told me “you shouldn’t have,” while placing his hand on his chest, where his heart is. And then HE HUGGED ME!!! I swear I ascended to heaven. He was holding me really tight in his arms, and I felt like the hug lasted forever (in a good way. Also, he smells so nice.) After this, I just thanked him and totally forgot to ask for a picture, LOL.
At the end we just waved him goodbye and left (we kept our promise.) On my way back to the hotel reality slapped me hard in the face and I began to cry like a baby, of pure joy and happiness. I’ll never forget that moment. This is my vinyl:
But the story doesn’t end there. On October 21st (3 days after meeting him), he *actually* wore the beanie I knitted for him in Sacramento, when he came out to greet the fans after the show:
My heart was so happy when I saw the pictures I started crying (and he also looked so handsome, I can’t.) He is the most humble, sweet and amazing person on this fucking planet and I’ll never shut up about it. So yeah. I met Hozier and it was the best day of my life.
It’s been a year since I went to that Hozier concert and met him afterwards. Little did I know, things were going to be so different this year. I feel so lucky for this experience; I honestly don’t know if it’s gonna happen again, but at least it gave me a memory that I’ll cherish forever.
Here’s a little update for you all: a person who was there when I met him sent me a video of our interaction, and I think I was really nervous ‘cause I didn’t hear him calling me “honey” after I gave him the gift bag. Thankfully, they recorded that moment, along with the expression of surprise/gratefulness Andrew had on his face.
As I wrote above, he wore the beanie I made for him 3 days after meeting him, but guess what? He did it for the rest of the tour almost every single time he went out to greet the fans, and of course there are a lot of pictures of him wearing it. My personal favorite is this one that @morganamoonstone took in Chicago (thanks for sharing it with me, Megan!):
…and took it with him back to Ireland. This is a screenshot of a story he posted on the first anniversary of the Wasteland, Baby! album (March 1, 2020):
As someone once said to me: he can afford any beanie he wants, but chooses to wear mine. And that means a lot. It was a simple gift, but it was made with so much love and admiration for him, and I hope Andrew knows that. I’m almost sure he does.
it’s been said so many times but it IS genuinely depressing to talk about how cosmetics are predatory and meant to make women more consumable and are pushed. but there always has to be someone saying “well i LIKE wearing makeup and look good in it so actually it’s empowering and if you critique this multi-billion dollar industry and its insidious nature you’re anti-feminist/hate women :/” like. We are not getting out of this alive, i fear
that’s soo great that eyeliner is empowering for you. I’m sure the company that created it cares about that. making you feel validated. not your money and making you into an image or anything
