Noah Kahan Shows Off His Transcendent Talent At Sold-Out Bridgestone Arena Run

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Noah Kahan. Photo: Kaitlyn Hungerford

Noah Kahan played the second of his two-night, sold-out Bridgestone Arena run last night (May 25) on his “The Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” tour. The folk-pop singer had everyone mesmerized by his vocals and entertainment skills from start to finish. 

Pop singer Ryan Beatty opened up the night with fan favorites such as “Bruises Off The Peach,” “Ribbons,” “White Teeth,” “Bright Red” and “Cinnamon Bread.” He also paid homage to Music City greats by covering Dolly Parton’s “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon.” Beatty closed his set with his original song “Little Faith” in an acoustic-style jam session.

Before Kahan even took the stage, the anticipation in the crowd was buzzing. As the lights went out and Kahan’s band started playing, the entire arena sprang to their feet. Kahan took the stage in an all white outfit and started the night off with “Dial Drunk,” immediately sending the energy in the room to full throttle.  

After turning the house lights up so Kahan could take in the crowd, he took a moment to express his gratitude before going into “New Perspective.” 

Noah Kahan. Photo: Kaitlyn Hungerford

Kahan is no stranger to Nashville crowds, as he’s played headlining shows at Cannery Ballroom, Brooklyn Bowl,  the Ryman Auditorium and Ascend Amphitheater on past tours. When sharing about his musical journey, the singer noted that his first show was at The Basement. 

After the moment of reflection, Kahan went into “Everywhere, Everything,” before lighting up the stage with a high energy performance of “False Confidence,” a song he wrote at 17 after just moving to Nashville. He kept the vibes going with “Forever,” relishing in the crowd singing every word.

The stage was then transformed to look like his mom’s living room. After taking a polaroid with a fan and reading a few signs, Kahan sat center stage with his band and led a family-style acoustic sing-along to “Come Over” and “Godlight.” The two performances highlighted Kahan’s vocal ability, with long runs and emotional convictions. 

Getting the crowd back on their feet, Kahan lit up the arena with “Paul Revere,” complete with mesmerizing visuals to reflect the lyrics behind him on stage. He then showed off more of his brilliant songwriting with “All My Love” and “Your Needs, My Needs.” Both songs keeping the crowd buzzing. 

Just as the arena was ready for more, Kahan treated them to the unreleased tune “Spoiled.” Before kicking off the next song, Kahan shared some words of encouragement for those who moved to Music City to chase a dream by taking a risk and betting on themselves.

“I moved here in 2017,” he said. “I spent a long time by myself and did a lot of things by myself. At first, I felt kind of pathetic. Then I realized you can do whatever you want by yourself. Once you realize that, the whole world opens up for you.” The singer said he wrote the next track, “You’re Gonna Go Far,” for anyone who can relate to that.

Erupting from joy after hearing the hit song, the crowd was ready to see what was next, which was “Homesick.” After Kahan jumped and buzzed around the main stage, he ran to the center of the arena floor to his B-Stage. Kahan wanted to have a B-Stage on this tour to be as close to the fans as he possibly could be. With a single spotlight shining down on Kahan and his guitar, he captivated the crowd with “Growing Sideways” and “Maine.”

Noah Kahan. Photo: Kaitlyn Hungerford

Bringing the party back to the main stage, Kahan immediately went into “She Calls Me Back.” Buzzing off the energy from the audience, Kahan went into “Call Your Mom” and “Orange Juice.”

As the night was winding down, Kahan gave another shoutout to his band, and said he wished that he could play for the rest of the night. He then closed out the set with “Northern Attitude,” a song he wrote with inspiration from his hometown of Strafford, Vermont. Kahan ran off stage as snow-colored confetti started falling.

Fans knew better than to think the night was actually over, as they cheered and shined their lights, waiting with anticipation for the singer to come back. Their wish was granted when Kahan came back with a Predators jersey on. He kicked off his encore set with “The View Between Villages,” another song paying homage to his hometown. 

Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan. Photo: Kaitlyn Hungerford

As Kahan, his band and the fans were electrified from the night, everyone was ready for one more big performance. Before going into the final song, Kahan brought out Kelsea Ballerini as a surprise guest. The two are no strangers to performing with each other, as they played together at the ACM Awards two weeks ago. To close out the night, the duo played Kahan’s breakout song “Stick Season,” leaving the audience absolutely enamored.

Kahan’s tour will continue through July with stops in St. Louis, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up at Fenway Park in Boston. All of Kahan’s tour stops will feature The Busyhead Project Action Village, a place that will amplify local mental health organizations and feature a community wall that allows fans to share positive messages. To read more about the initiative, click here. 

Madison Hahnen
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