Noah Kahan – The Great Divide Tour Review – Boston, MA
Noah Kahan has always had a very open dialogue online with the public, fans or not, so when he presented anxiety of how the follow up album to his hit “Stick Season” it wasn’t some new vulnerability we’d never seen but it was still very real. That feeling you’ve already given your best and hit the apex of your life’s mountain isn’t unfamiliar to anyone but it’s not always so openly spoken about. Kahan’s anxiety has hopefully subsided at least a bit if not completely (though completely would seem out of character for the artist known for being able to describe the feeling so perfectly through his music) after his fourth album, ‘The Great Divide’ was met with critical and public success, hitting number 1 on the Billboard 200. The Great Divide world tour, originally with 45 dates had to expand to a total of 57 dates due to overwhelming demand, including adding a fourth night to his run at Fenway Park, making him the first musician ever to sell out four consecutive nights at the ballpark.
The tour kicked off in June in Orlando, Florida with mixed reviews from fans, some being disappointed there actually were not more songs off the new album. It’s understandable after the monumental hit that “Stick Season” was Kahan may assume fans were still showing up for those songs, but the fans made it known they’re in for the long haul and loved this new album just as much as the last. Kahan pivoted and the setlist turned in to more of a mix of songs off this new album and songs off his last three.
We were lucky enough to catch one of the historic nights at Fenway where he played to over 151,000 fans, the first of which Kahan and his fans powered through a rain storm that did not let up. The rain the first day didn’t scare anyone off, there was still questionable weather forecasts for the next few nights but you’d never know by looking at the people excited to be there.
While he did switch out some songs to include more off his recent album, he’s taken the opportunity to switch up the setlist on nights, his own form of the concept of surprise songs popularized by Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour. Of course he put his own twist on it, “Godlight tonight queen?” was the tweet fans getting ready for night three of Fenway were presented with, many excited for the chance to hear the popular song off his 2021 “I Was / I Am” album.
We last saw Kahan’s The Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) tour. His set now is more extensive, there’s a house on stage that he actually walks through the front door of to start off the show, a police car and gas station set up to one side and the other side filled with greenery that is reminiscent of the Vermont that Kahan grew up in. There’s three separate pits, one surrounded by stage that Kahan utilized the whole night and a separate stage further out in to the crowd. He had a B stage for his last tour and it’s clear that he understands how important the shows are to the fans who show up and he finds any way he can to make sure everyone is included and feels they could have the best night possible.
He started off the night after a countdown on screen with “American Cars” and “Doors”, both hits off the new album, along with a “Stick Season” classic of “All My Love”, a song that felt even bigger played to his fellow New Englanders. His stage presence has just continued to be honed, he is moving around from mic to mic, many set up at different spots throughout the space, the whole night and still takes time to make funny comments that sometimes get him in trouble. He had to break at one point of the night to issue an apology to the entire state of Connecticut, the second of his career, for saying the state was not part of New England. The apology was met with a mix of cheers and boos, likely due to those Kahan mentioned specifically who support the Yankees or the Jets. The apology was followed by a chant of “Yankees suck” one could only expect to hear at Fenway Park. Kahan, the good New England boy that he is, added in “Fuck the Yankees obviously” before jumping in to the next song.
Despite a sold out ballpark, you could tell the crowd felt like they were with family, connecting over New England specific lines in his songs such as screaming “But I hope that Logan crumbles and gets hit by a tornado” and mentions of the Charles and infamous Storrow Drive. Fans were surprised by the addition of “False Confidence” and “Headed North” into the setlist along with the promised “Godlight”.
Opener Gigi Perez joined Kahan on stage for “She Calls Me Back” before a video cameo of former Patriots star Gronk (Rob Gronkowski for those unfamiliar with the nickname). Kahan had video cameos from other New England celebrities the previous two days, Drake Maye (Patriots quarterback) and Big Papi (Former Red Sox player David Ortiz) but the last night was treated to a call from his mom, inducting him in to the Fenway hall of fame, a group of now four that includes Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and the Zac Brown Band.
The last time we saw Kahan he mentioned that he felt out of place in Los Angeles especially during the Grammys where he was nominated for Best New Artist in 2024. That feeling has now made itself part of his most recent single “Orbiter” where he remembers his attendance and the anxiety he felt there but the comfort he received from his mother, reminding him “California is so much more than some awards show”. The song is just the most recent of his to go viral on TikTok, many videos including the lyrics “I’m an astronaut, you’re the moon, I stare at you, I sing to you, I circle you”. It was an emotional performance for everyone, Kahan looking up towards the night sky and the upper deck of Fenway Park full of lights from camera phones. To the fans at Fenway, it’s Kahan who is the moon.
There was no lull in the energy of the crowd, even through acoustic songs it was impossible to not hear people singing along. Crowds formed outside of the park on the street to listen to the show with other fans who were unable to get tickets.
The night ended with two of his most popular songs, “Homesick” and “Stick Season”. It was a warm night, the lyrics “every photograph that’s taken here is from the summer” making even more sense to the crowd who has no doubt suffered through the New England winters and understand exactly what season of the sticks means and why one might be mean having grown up in New England. As credits rolled Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” played the crowd out, giving everyone one last opportunity to come together to scream the song traditionally played during the 8th inning as one should when at Fenway Park.
The Great Divide tour continues until December 7 where he’ll close out with a final show in Paris. While tickets may be hard to come by, if you have the chance, the concert is the perfect way to experience “sad bug summer”.
- Noah Kahan – The Great Divide Tour Review – Boston, MA - July 14, 2026
- PHOTOS: Sadie Jean – Los Angeles – 06/19/2026 - June 29, 2026
- PHOTOS: Xana – Los Angeles – 10/30/2025 - November 18, 2025
