Noah Kahan @ Hordern Pavilion, Eora/Sydney – 23 January 2024

Sometimes less than perfect conditions can give you the perfect night. There was a lot that I wasn’t looking forward to last night. A trip to Sydney, always such an inconvenience, especially midweek. And we were going to the Hordern, far from the my favourite venue (I much prefer places where I can reserve a seat). But I put all that aside, because I was going to see Noah Kahan, my favourite musical discovery of 2023. And sometimes, that’s enough.

Dylan Gossett, a Texan singer-songwriter with a country twang and endearing demeanour warmed up the crowd. I must admit, I checked him out on Spotify earlier in the week and wasn’t impressed. His songs were OK, but they felt a little samey to me. But on the stage, they came alive. His voice was stronger than the recordings suggested, and he was super sweet. While I appreciated what Dyland brought to his set, I was just as thrilled by the way the crowd lapped up his music. It’s one of the great things about seeing a show with the right young audience. Yes, I’ve been at shows where the millennials seemed more interested in their phones and their conversations than the artists, but when young people are invested in a gig they lap it up. They never treat a performer as “just a support act”; they appreciate what they bring to the show and will clap enthusiastically and wave those phones with their lights on in delight. Seeing how they supported Dylan, I knew I was in for a good night.

I knew I was in for a good night, but I didn’t know just how good. But as Noah took to the stage and started playing “Northern Attitude”, one of my favourite songs from Stick Season, everything just seemed right with the world. I sang along with enthusiasm, those lyrics that had come to mean so much to me over the last year. The set leant heavily on that breakthrough album. I’m not sure how that sat with the original fans, but as someone who fell so deeply for that record I was thrilled to hear almost every one of its songs.

He chatted easily with the crowd, cracking jokes that had us all giggling. He even invited a fan up to sing to “Everywhere, Everything” with him. Tyler – wherever you are – you did an amazing job. “Your Needs, My Needs”, was a real highlight. I’ll forever remember his performance of that song as one of the best I’ve ever seen live. Ever. Chills. It takes a special performer to deliver heavy songs like that and then feelgood moments like “All My Love” and “Dial Drunk.” It also takes a special artist to get people to connect so deeply with their lyrics, even when they don’t necessarily reflect their own experiences. I marvelled at that as Noah sang his final song, “Homesick,” and we were all belting out the line in the chorus, “I’m me because I grew up in New England.” I’d wager most of us didn’t grow up in New England, yet we all felt that lyric in some deep part of ourselves.

It’s a sort of magic when an artist can put their very specific experiences into songs, then come to the other side of the world and connect in such a powerful way with the people there. I loved being a part of it. Even at the Hordern. Even in the middle of the week. Some shows transcend those little inconveniences. This was one of those shows. Noah plays Eora/Sydney again tonight before heading to Boorloo/Perth. All tickets were snapped up months ago, but if you’re lucky enough to have one you’re in for a real treat.

Image source: own photos