Noah Kahan ProfileAs fans stream into Rod Laver Arena, the queues stretch for merch and the tour’s mental health activations, including The Busyhead Project – a non-profit organisation founded by tonight’s very own headliner Noah Kahan.
Community wall boards quickly fill with hundreds of handwritten messages, creating a fitting reminder that beneath the sold-out arena spectacle, connection sits at the heart of Kahan’s music.
Opening the night is Cincinnati singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi, whose folk-rock, Americana and alt country sound makes him a natural fit for Kahan’s audience. His acoustic-driven songs feature compelling storytelling with recognisable hits The Other Side and Scared To Start showcasing his ability to turn uncertainty and everyday experiences into relatable and anthemic moments.
Marcagi also treats us to the first live debut performance of Bite My Tongue, which is his new single released just last week and offers a glimpse of what’s next as he continues to carve out his own space in the folk-rock scene.
A one-minute countdown appears on the giant screen as animated bugs crawl across it. As the final seconds tick away, the roof above the stage slowly lowers, piecing together a pop-up house that becomes a three-dimensional backdrop. A door appears and Kahan opens it, walking through onto the stage and launches right into American Cars.
“My name is Noah Kahan and I’m here to make you absolutely miserable,” he announces before All My Love, immediately establishing his self-deprecating humour that runs throughout the night.
Before Deny Deny Deny, Kahan jokes that the last time he was in Australia, his band “decided not to show up,” after missing their flight, before thanking Melbourne for selling out the first night of this current tour. He asks how many people in the audience tonight have OCD, explaining that he tries to share his fears so they become less real.
Then, looking out across the enormous crowd, he jokes that all he can think about is the possibility of everyone storming the stage and ripping him limb from limb. “Melbourne, are you guys gonna rip me limb from limb?” he shouts and the audience screams in response.
Kahan moves constantly throughout the night, shifting between sections of the stage and turning to face every side of the arena with a strong presence. Standing Still arrives with its story about his hatred of Boston airport, before the production takes another cinematic turn as the roof lifts and the screens transform into a moving train journey, scenery rushing past carriage windows as the audience is taken across The Great Divide.
Kahan moves down the central runway for Haircut, bringing the performance closer to the floor crowd. The visuals then transport everyone to an old house, a country town and a graveyard for Downfall that’s loaded with small-town life charm and personal vulnerability.
A general store setting pops-up next and Kahn makes his way down to a phone booth that sits on the floor stage to answer a call. What follows sends the arena into a frenzy of excitement. “Katniss Everdeen? I have the lead single in the new Hunger Games movie?”
He answers, playfully as looks out across the audience. The crowd erupts, but it’s only a tease and the song doesn’t actually get played tonight, leaving everyone waiting in anticipation another week for its official release.
He picks up his guitar and tells the crowd about signing his record deal in 2017. He recalls that his label president told him he had the opportunity to travel the world and spread joy to hundreds of thousands of people.
“I said shut the fuck up. My goal is not to spread joy but to help you reach your worst impulses,” he jokes. He proceeds to ask if there’s any assholes in the building before launching into Dashboard, turning the arena into one enormous singalong. Dial Drunk follows shortly after to build momentum even further.
After a short pause, Kahan reappears for Willing And Able perched on top of the stage set’s house roof with guitar in-hand. For Porch Light, the stage becomes a homely front porch, and the audience wristbands glow warmly as fiddle and strings fill the arena to create one of the night’s most intimate visual moments.
Kahan then heads to the B-stage at the back of the arena, where he reflects on his relationship with Australia. “My first ever hit song Hurt Somebody was here in Australia,” he shares proudly. He introduces his next song Orbiter as a heartfelt song written for the people who he makes music for – his wife, his mum and the fans who have allowed him to be standing here. We Go Way Back keeps him on the B-stage before he makes his way back to the main stage.
The band kicks into Paid Time Off, complete with an extended jam that feels particularly appropriate on a Melbourne AFL Grand Final public holiday. He follows with Dan, a song about his best friend, before once again connecting his humour with the Australian crowd.
“I relate to your dry sense of humour,” he says, introducing New Perspective as a song about rooting for the people you love to sometimes ruin their lives.
Eventually, Kahan disappears through the door of the stage house. The arena falls into darkness before he returns alone, sitting at the piano beneath a single spotlight for End Of August. Slowly, the arrangement grows and by the final chorus a horn section joins him as it comes to life in full bloom.
Photos of Kahan’s hometown appear behind him for Homesick, bringing the night back to the place where much of his story begins before the inevitable finale.
“Now it’s time to get fucking sticky,” he declares as the opening notes of Stick Season ring out and the arena erupts. Thousands of voices take over the chorus, turning the final song into one big collective release.
As the final notes of Stick Season disappear, it’s clear that Kahan’s idea of bringing people together doesn’t require him to spread joy in the traditional sense, instead it’s a cathartic experience of emotional release that requires a few thousand people screaming their worst impulses back at him.
