Live Review & Gallery | Hazlett @ Union Chapel, London

Zosia Kibalo

Photographer trying to capture all the colours of the world one gig at a time. I love experimenting with my photos, both digitally and old school arts and crafts style. I also find my voice through writing about art in any shape or form. Catch me hopping around grassroots venues bopping my head and camera to some good tunes!

Under the towering arches and stained glass rosette of Islington’s Union Chapel, Hazlett and the gentle tones of his guitar created a much needed escape from the gloomy wintry weather

Stepping inside the chapel, I was excited to finally experience a venue I’ve long thought of as one of the most interesting spaces in London, and curious to see how music as gentle as Hazlett’s would unfold in a setting like this.

The moment Hazlett walks on stage, a hush falls across the chapel, a sold out crowd looking up at him with sparkly eyes. From the very first song, he and his band create a sense of intimacy, making such a grand space full of strangers feel more like old friends gathered in a cosy living room. His warm and honest vocals carry a vulnerability that draws everyone in. There are moments where all you can hear is the rise and fall of his voice, each line hanging in the chapel’s acoustics but still feeling close, almost like it was meant just for you. Honestly, all I wanted to do was bring my legs up, rest my chin on my knees and let the atmosphere wash over me, but I was quickly told off by church security for getting a little too comfy.

He breaks up the set with quiet, self reflective anecdotes, offering small insights into his songwriting journey and the personal evolution that shapes his music. Hazlett’s songs are born from introspection. He only began singing in his mid twenties, later than most, and his path from pub gigs in Australia to crafting more intimate, cinematic folk throughout his musical journey has clearly shaped the emotional honesty of his performance.

What makes the night truly special are the moments of real quiet. There are points where the band steps away from the stage entirely, leaving Hazlett alone with his guitar. Then, mid song, one by one, the musicians return with such seamless timing that it feels like a natural swell rather than an interruption. You have to focus to even notice when they’ve reappeared.

Throughout the evening, Hazlett expresses genuine gratitude toward the audience, often acknowledging how touring and meeting listeners face to face gives his songs new life, transforming what was once a solitary writing process into a shared, real time connection. The set feels both moving and immersive, at times melancholic, at others rooted in quiet hope, always carried by an emotional sincerity that lingers long after the final chord fades.

In a world where live music can often feel rushed or crowded, Hazlett’s show is the opposite, intimate, reflective and beautifully human. His performance carries the crowd somewhere between earthly presence and dreamlike escape. Under the wooden vault and warm candlelight glow, it feels like listening to someone tell you a story you’ve always known, one that takes its time to unfold, and the longer you linger, the more it speaks to you.