There is nowhere else a Noah Kahan fan would rather be on a summer’s night than listening to him belt his heart out at the stadium that has become a signature part of his brand. The July 11th show may have ended his historic four-night sold-out run at Fenway, but there were fans young and old, in groups and solo still packing it out. Some fans even waited outside until well after the lights came in the hopes of a greeting from a sweaty, beaming Kahan in all his hometown glory as his car rolled down Jersey Street.
The unspoken theme seemed to be bugs (particularly ladybugs and moths), perhaps as an ode to several lyrics from both Kahan’s newest album, The Great Divide, as well as the previous Stick Season. Fans walked around in flowy white maxi skirts and vibrant, summery tops, while others munched on famous Fenway Franks, donning jeans and exclusive tour merch (like the custom Red Sox Jerseys with “Kahan” plastered across the back and Noah Kahan-embroidered caps) that they were lucky to snag as all of it also immediately sold out each morning before showtime.
Annabelle Dinda and Gigi Perez kicked off the night with a pair of excellent performances. Dinda recently went viral on TikTok for her single “The Hand” thanks to its raw, relatable lyrics and intense, emotional production. Dinda’s recent full-length includes “The Hand” as well as her next hit single “Whatever You Wanna.” Although most of the crowd was new to Dinda’s discography, they quickly warmed to her and her incredible band. Dinda’s chemistry with her bandmates was certainly among the most talked-about aspects of her set, along with her impeccable songwriting skills and impressive vocal abilities.
Gigi Perez, who is no stranger to opening sets at Fenway Park (she opened for Hozier just last summer), somehow outdoes herself every time. She clearly has become incredibly comfortable in her performance abilities, connecting deeply with the audience regardless of whether they were familiar with her songs. However, much of the crowd, indeed, screamed every line of Perez’s lyrics back at her. Perez invited her sister Bella onstage to duet “Sugar Water,” a song about childhood nostalgia. Perez also played her viral hits “Sailor Song” and “Fable”, as well as other favorites among her loyal fanbase who were surely sprinkled among Kahan’s crowd.
A one-minute countdown preceded Noah Kahan’s arrival onstage, and Fenway erupted in cheers at the prospect of the man appearing before them, live in the flesh. The massive stage forked into multiple runways, including an attached B stage and a separate C stage just ahead of that. At the center laid a massive house with an optical illusion of a roof. To the sides, a cop car parked on stage right, and a grassy field on stage left. Finally, the countdown hit zero, and Kahan busted down the house’s front door, dressed in a beige distressed denim Canadian Tuxedo ensemble hand-painted and embroidered with moths. Wearing his hair French-braided tight to his head (by his wife, Brenna Nolan) and a beaming smile, he performed “American Cars,” “Doors,” “All My Love,” and “Deny, Deny, Deny” on the main stage before stepping off to the area on stage left to perform “Staying Still”. There’s something indescribably special about singing along to that second verse and chorus live in Boston with 37,000 other Massholes.
Once Kahan reached the B-stage section of the show, he played “Haircut” and “Downfall,” concluding the second part of his set with the surprise song “Forever”, which he dedicated to Zuza Beine. Zuza was a 14-year-old cancer-awareness influencer who attended Kahan’s show at Fenway Park two years ago, where they met, and he performed “Forever” for her backstage before the concert. It was her favorite song of his. After Zuza’s passing, which Kahan often reflects on, he felt it was important to honor her memory by performing the song at Fenway. Friends and family in the crowd, as well as those who did not know her, were touched by this emotional performance.
The phone booth next to the B stage rang, and it was time to reveal the evening’s special guest, which the three nights previously had been Big Papi, Drake Maye, and Gronk. To both the crowd and Kahan’s surprise, a video of Kahan’s mom, Lauri, backstage at Fenway appeared on the screen, wherein she professed her pride in her son for the accomplishment of his being the first artist ever to headline four consecutive sold-out nights at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park. Then, she revealed the news of his official induction into the Fenway Music Hall of Fame, making him the fourth artist ever to receive the honor, joining Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, and Zac Brown Band as the venue’s most celebrated performers. Teary-eyed, Kahan thanked his family, fans, and Fenway as a massive sign commemorating the honor suddenly draped across the Green Monster.
Kahan then returned to the main stage to perform “She Calls Me Back” with Gigi Perez, as well as “Dashboard,” accompanied by a gorgeous sunset. In theatrical fashion, a tour team member dressed as a police officer pressed Kahan up against the cop car on stage right as he sang the first verse of “Dial Drunk” into the windshield. as the camera inside the car beamed his face to the crowd.
As the stage changed around, Kahan took a quick break as his band individually serenaded the crowd with a few instrumental performances. Suddenly, Kahan could be seen once again climbing a ladder onto the roof of the house, perching himself atop it with his guitar, where he performed “Willing and Able,” a few tears rolling down his face as the gut-wrenching lyrics left his lips.
Kahan made his way to the C stage, fully immersed within the crowd, to perform “Orbiter,” which ended with a couple in the grandstands getting engaged, the audience around them chanting “She said yes!” Next, Kahan surprised the crowd (well, those who hadn’t checked Kahan’s Twitter page earlier in the day) with a performance of “23” and “Dan,” as well as later playing “Carlo’s Song,” a hugely personal and emotional fan favorite, for the first time in years.
Kahan concluded the show with New England favorites “Northern Attitude” and “Homesick,” and, of course, “Stick Season.” Both Kahan and fans could hardly believe the night–and Kahan’s reign over Fenway–had come to an end as Kahan and his band took their final bows and they and the sold-out crowd watched fireworks shoot out from the stage over the stadium. Surely, Kahan will be back soon, but New England will certainly not be the same until his return. If there’s anything Kahan has proven after so many sold-out nights at Fenway over the past two years, it’s that there is simply no debate: A Noah Kahan concert at Fenway Park is quite simply the end-all-be-all of the New England live music experience.
Check out the rest of Hannah’s photos below:
