Jo Hill at The Workman’s Club Dublin

First Night of The Road to The Great Escape With Jo Hill

Jo Hill brought a spark Dublin last night with a show that was as intimate as it was electrifying. Taking the stage at the cosy Workman’s Club as part of The Road to The Great Escape, the Cheddar-born singer-songwriter, captivated the crowd from the very first note with her heartfelt vocals and magnetic stage presence.

Tucked away on Wellington Quay, The Workman’s Club is known for its stripped-back vibe and up-close atmosphere, and it proved to be the perfect backdrop for Hill’s vocally rich set.

Stepping on to the stage with bandmates Kinga Hornik and Alley Lloyd, she urged the audience to come closer before launching into POW GIRL. Hill’s vocals raw yet controlled pouring emotion into every word. The bold catchy chorus igniting the crowd to life.

But Jo Hill’s talent does not end with her voice. What makes her live performance a true delight is her genuine rapport with the crowd, she’s a storyteller, a conversationalist, and at times, a comedian. Throughout the night, she chatted freely between songs, offering anecdotes, reflections, and spur-of-the-moment banter that made the show feel more like a friend’s party than a structured gig. Whether she was cracking jokes, sharing the inspiration behind her lyrics, or simply reacting to a fan’s shout from the floor, her natural charisma kept the energy warm and spontaneous.

Other standout tracks included the irresistible groove of Big Boys Cry Too, the ultra-cool swagger of Zoom Out, and the dreamy slow-burn of Honeymoon. But I’ll admit, I was hoping to hear Hold—a shimmering gem of a track that, let’s be honest, deserves its own standing ovation.  Still, any disappointment was short-lived. Girlhood as a debut album, is one of the best I have heard in a long while, so to hear any track live is more than a bonus.

On reflection, the night was nothing short of incredible. Call it wonderful, brilliant, amazing—take your pick—they all point to one thing: Jo Hill was born to be on stage. With “Girlhood” marking the bold first step in what promises to be a meteoric rise, as for her live performance I will stick with the word SPECIAL and leave it there.

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Setlist

Pow Girl

Glastonbury

Big Boys Cry Too

Zoom Out

More 2 This Body

P in a Care

Honeymoon