From the Ompompanoosuc River in Strafford, Vermont, to the Brisbane River and its eponymous Riverstage, Noah Kahan and his band brought 'the season of the sticks' to a warm, eager, and sweaty sold-out crowd (20 January).
Texas' own Dylan Gossett opened the show, showcasing his deep, passionate songwriting and instantly recognisable gravelly voice.Only 24, Gossett commanded the stage with a learned confidence and a presence that betrayed his age. His time onstage was brief, and he had clearly won everybody over when we realised he had to leave us so soon.
Closing out with viral TikTok hit 'Coal', Gossett took a moment to show graciousness to Noah Kahan for his inclusion on the tour, as well as thanking Brisbane for being so receptive.
He received the send-off he deserved, with what sounded like the entirety of the Riverstage joining Gossett in singing 'Coal' and begging him for one more song.
Dylan Gossett - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
After a small intermission, the crowd buzz reached a fever pitch as the lights suddenly dimmed.
After a tumultuous journey from Nashville filled with multiple delays, Noah Kahan's full band came onstage for the first time on this Australian tour. Kahan appeared soon after, dressed in white overalls and wearing a wide smile across his face.
Opening the show with 'Northern Attitude', it was immediately apparent that Kahan's captive audience sat neatly in the palm of his hand. He frequently took steps back from the microphone to let the audience sing unaided, and not once did Brisbane miss a word.
Noah rocketed through his 2022 album 'Stick Season''s biggest highlights, playing barn-burning odes to ex-girlfriends with 'She Calls Me Back' and slower, more mediative cuts with 'Growing Sideways'.
His introspective, small-town reflections on relationships, mental health and oneself resonated out of The Riverstage and wrapped the audience in a cozy, familiar blanket. It felt healing to be one voice in a mass of many, openly hurting but feeling collectively heard and understood, the kind of healing one can only find through a well-written song.
As the night drew to a close and the band exited the stage after playing fan-favourite 'Dial Drunk', it was clear Brisbane wouldn't let Kahan go quietly.
One of the loudest chants of the evening was for an encore of one more song. We were gratefully treated to a three-song encore, lea by an extended take on 'The View Between Villages'.
Kahan's history of playing open mics at the beginning of his career then became an extended hand of gratitude for a Brisbane local, when he brought Griffin Morris onstage. The two performed a duet of Kahan's famous single 'Stick Season', with Kahan having overheard Morris performing it at a restaurant the night before.
Choosing to close out the show with 'Homesick' brought the entire night into focus, illuminating Kahan's musings on his home town of Strafford and his desire to leave and make something of himself.
His ironic use of the word 'homesick' as a way of highlighting how 'sick of home' one can get is what ultimately brought him to Brisbane and what will continue to push his career further upwards.
It's clear he is showing no signs of slowing down. Paul Revere rides again, born anew as folk music hero Noah Kahan.
