On a night that will be remembered for having the worst air quality NYC has seen, 5900 rabid Noah Kahan fans will remember it for his show at Radio City Music Hall. Walking down 6th Avenue felt like a line from "Northern Attitude"
If the sun don't rise
'Til the summertime
Forgive my northern attitude
Oh, I was raised on little light
Coming at the end of an amazing year which saw his popularity explode, this evenings show was also just two days before the release of the deluxe version of his Stick Season album.
It's always fun to see when an artist is humbled by the venue. Radio City Music Hall is one of those places. Nicknamed "the Showplace of the Nation", it first opened in 1932 with the construction of Rockefeller Center and during the Art Deco period.
We arrived too late to catch much of opening act Joy Oladokun (we will blame the amazing steak and Butter Cake at Del Friscos across the street), but have had the pleasure of seeing her recently and are big fans. She's got a beautiful soul, is hysterically funny, is constantly stoned, and writes beautiful songs. Definitely see her if she comes your way, she has a headlining tour this fall in the Northeast.
Kahan took the stage at 9:15 on this Wednesday evening. His band had an interesting stage setup, with the piano and drums each on elevated platforms. From the opening notes of "All My Love" it was clear that this was going to be a sing-along show. Kahan has written an album that immediately catches you for it's honesty, and his fans love him for that. The lyrics capture the angst, and beauty and sometimes hopelessness of New England life, especially when you are young.
He played all of the hits from the album, including a few that were just about to be released on the deluxe edition - including fan favorite "Dial Drunk". The setlist for the show is here. His setlists for this tour vary only slightly each night.
Kahan played a three song encore - "A View Between Villages", "Stick Season" (with Joy Oladokun)", and "Mess" off of his 2019 album Busyhead.
The train ride home on Metro North was full of fans, all smiling and showing off their merch. Noah Kahan is riding a wave of success, and his tour is almost entirely sold out - but there's always the waitlist. He'll be back to Radio City on 8/31/23.
Wish you could have heard the show? Here is a Spotify playlist of the show's set.
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