Though he was raised in Vermont, Noah Kahan's Oct. 4 show at Nashville's Ascend Amphitheater was a homecoming of sorts. Kahan, known for his confessional lyrics showcased in songs such as "Stick Season," "Dial Drunk" and "Call Your Mom," previously lived in Music City as a teen.
"I came here when I was 18...I was completely alone," Kahan told the crowd. "Nashville was where I learned to be alone. And when you learn to be alone, you find out that the whole world opens up for you when you start doing sh*t by yourself."
The 26-year-old noted that his two-night run at Ascend was a far cry from a previous Nashville gig — a show at The East Room six years ago that had "about six people" in the audience.
Though his time in Nashville didn't last, Kahan's music has been embraced by artists who reside on the outskirts of the mainstream country music industry. He's collaborated with Zach Bryan ("Sarah's Place") and Kacey Musgraves (a duet version of "She Calls Me Back," out Oct. 6). And he's earned the praise of noted country and folk fan Post Malone, who Kahan referenced after running out on stage, mandolin in tow, and opening the show with "All My Love."
"I've been called the Jewish Ed Sheeran. I've been called the Prozac Lin Manuel Miranda," Kahan said. "Tonight Nashville, for you and you alone, I am the Folk Malone."
New England is prevalent in Kahan's vivid songwriting. "Stick Season," which went viral on TikTok and was recently covered by Olivia Rodrigo, is in reference to the time between autumn and winter in Vermont. ("And I love Vermont but it's the season of the sticks...")
Raised in rural Strafford, Vermont (pop. 1075), Kahan's music explores themes prevalent in classic folk and country: small town loneliness, generational trauma and, yes, dogs.
Kahan brought out folk mainstay Gregory Alan Isakov for a song about feeling isolated in a small town, "Paul Revere."
The surprise guests didn't end there. Irish singer Hozier joined Kahan for a crowd-pleasing rendition of "Northern Attitude," another song that nods to Kahan's upbringing in the northeast.
"Forgive my northern attitude/ Oh, I was raised out in the cold/ If the sun don't rise/ 'Til the summertime/ Forgive my northern attitude/ Oh, I was raised on little light."
Kahan is open about his mental health journey and the importance of access to mental health services.
While introducting "Growing Sideways," Kahan spoke about going to therapy when he was young and the time he spent lying to his therapist.
"I started telling the truth at 22 and I started to feel happier for the first time in my life," he said.
Kahan has also launched The Busyhead Project, a mental health initiative which supports local organizations. A portion of every ticket sold during Kahan's 2023 goes to The Busyhead Project.
After leading a chorus of audience voices that surely carried far beyond the boundaries of Ascend for set closer "Dial Drunk," Kahan returned for an encore, performing "The View Between Villages," "Stick Season" and "Homesick," during which the screen behind him showed a map of Vermont. The screen eventually landed on Kahan's beloved hometown of Strafford and the singer-songwriter shared one last tribute to the place that shaped him.
"I would leave if only I could find a reason/ I'm mean because I grew up in New England/ I got dreams but I can't make myself believe them," Kahan sang. "Spend the rest of my life with what could have been/ And I will die in the house that I grew up in, I'm homesick."
Kahan's Stick Season Tour continues throughout 2023. In 2024, he'll continue on the road with his We'll All Be Here Forever Tour, including dates at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Madison Square Garden in New York and Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
