HAZLETT LIGHTS UP THE CHAPEL WITH STILLNESS, SAD SONGS AND HEARTFELT STORIES

LIVE REVIEW | HAZLETT w/ Hans Williams | UNION CHAPEL, LONDON | 9th December 2025 by Kevin O’Sullivan

On Tuesday evening we hit a sold out Union Chapel again – this time for visiting Australian singer-songwriter Hazlett. But before our headliner made their much-anticipated appearance, we were treated to something just as special.

Hans Williams

Hans Williams opened the evening with a set that felt both intimate and quietly assured. Having flown in from New Orleans at Hazlett’s personal invitation, he made it clear he was thrilled to be here, and that enthusiasm translated instantly. Williams began by singing directly into the soundhole of his guitar, producing a soft, resonant effect that immediately drew the Union Chapel audience to full attention. It was a striking introduction—simple, but deeply effective in a room built for acoustics rather than theatrics.

The crowd, characteristically respectful in the Union Chapel way, allowed the space between his songs to settle naturally. Williams even remarked on the difference compared to audiences back home, noting with a smile that this level of quiet focus was not something he experiences often in the US.

His set included “Skin,” “True Feeling,” “Jesus Etc.,” “All Is Well,” and “Talking to the Dog,” each delivered with a mix of gentle confidence and emotional clarity. Williams’ closing song, “More Than One Way Home,” was dedicated to his own relationship with home and distance—an apt choice for an artist performing thousands of miles from where he started. It landed softly but powerfully, carried by the chapel’s beautiful natural reverb. Though only a support act tonight, Williams left a real impression.

---

Hazlett

Hazlett took to the stage with no hesitation, launching straight into “Please Don’t Be,” one of his best-known tracks and an immediate indication of the emotional territory he intended to cover. The Union Chapel, sold out and dimly glowing beneath its stained-glass windows, proved the perfect venue for him. Its stunning acoustics gave every note space to breathe; even the softest phrases carried effortlessly to the rafters. It’s the kind of room where silence feels like part of the performance, and the audience embraced that fully—quiet, attentive, responding only with applause between songs.

Unlike his last London appearance, Hazlett arrived with a full band, though he promised he would still deliver the sad songs everyone expected. Tracks like “Stolen Seasons,” “Cemetery,” “Missionary Feelings,” “Queen of the Season,” “Tell Me Something,” and “Bones Shake” unfolded with careful pacing. “Bones Shake,” written about the harsh Northern Hemisphere cold, gained extra resonance in a venue known for winter draughts and warm lighting.

Hazlett shared pieces of his story throughout—starting to sing at 27 during a pub job he’d stumbled into, moving from Australia to Sweden, discovering that northern bathrooms are always damp, and learning songwriting by simply trying things until they made sense. His honesty, delivered with dry humour, made the space feel even more intimate.

“First Train,” “Shiver,” “I’m Not Ready to Go,” “Fast Like You,” “Blame the Moon,” and “Doing My Best” rounded out the set, each performed with a balance of vulnerability and control that held the audience firmly in the moment.

Near the end, Hazlett thanked the crowd with genuine warmth. A few years ago, he’d promised himself he’d play as many live shows as possible—and though he admitted it sounded a little cheesy, he couldn’t have done it without the audiences who effectively became friends and family on the road. For an artist still relatively unknown but rapidly building a dedicated following, his connection with the room was remarkable. Hazlett left the stage to long applause after delivering a beautifully crafted, quietly powerful performance.