Noah Kahan holds it down in Chicago!
Schubas Tavern, IL, USA, October 19, 2018
Concert Review and Photos Anita Maree
Exclusive Q&A: Dan Locke
Singer, songwriter Noah Kahan just embarked on his first-ever North American headlining tour and he should be excited. Most of his shows have sold-out from New York City to Los Angeles and now Chicago joined that list. Schubas Tavern was packed with his fans waiting to hear his songs including his debut single “Young Blood”, his global smash hit “Hurt Somebody” and his latest release “False Confidence”.
Noah and his band took the stage and opened with his toe-tapping song “Fine” followed by “Passenger” and “Hallelujah”. Before starting his next song, Noah told the crowd it was great being back in Chicago and he seemed somewhat shocked yet proud when the sold-out crowd was singing his songs along with him. His songwriting is quite impressive, somewhat deep, yet he keeps it real. Very refreshing for someone so young – only 21. Other songs performed included “Please”, “Hold it Down” and “Catastrophize”.
Many of his fans were waiting to hear him perform “False Confidence” and that song soared. On his Facebook page, he wrote: I wrote “False Confidence” when I felt
Noah Kahan (credit: Anita Maree)
like I was trying too hard to be what I thought an artist should be instead of being who I was. I was reaching for some unattainable picture of a successful person: confident, polished, secure. Hope sharing this reminds you to not take yourself so seriously, so excited for you to hear it!
When the band finished his fans slowly left Schubas Tavern and you could hear a few of them chanting “I’ll be just fine”. This is songwriting at its best!
Noah took time out of his schedule for an exclusive Q&A with Unrated Magazine.
Dan Locke: Hi Noah, thanks so much for your time today and for answering a few questions. You are from n Strafford, Vermont. How is the music scene there?
Noah: The music scene in Strafford was minimal, as it is a very small town. There were a few open mics in town and several friends who produced EDM, but that was mostly it.
You started uploading your songs to SoundCloud (which is a streaming platform). How long did it take you to get noticed?
I started uploading to SoundCloud when I was 16. A few songs I put up there got streamed a lot, but eventually, I came across the radar of my current manager.
Who inspired you growing up?
I was inspired by Paul Simon and the Counting Crows.
You caught the attention of Dan Wilson. How did this happen? Did you know his song “Closing Time” before you started to work together?
I did know “Closing Time.” My record label connected us after some successful songwriting sessions.
Can you tell us about the time you were on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert? You performed “Hurt Somebody”. Can you tell your fans
Noah Kahan (credit: Anita Maree)
about that day?
It was a crazy experience. Meeting Stephen Colbert was so cool, I was star-struck. My family got to be there to celebrate with me, so it was a day I’ll never forget.
Can you talk about your time working with singer/songwriter Julia Michaels on “Hurt Somebody”?
She sent us an email with her vocal, so we never actually worked on the track together, but I am grateful for her having sung on it with me.
“Hurt Somebody” has charted very well worldwide. What do you feel is the appeal of the song to your fans?
I think that people can relate to the concept and the meaning behind the song. It is hard to come to terms with the fact that something needs to end and the fear of hurting someone can be paralyzing.
You have toured with the likes of Ben Folds and Anderson East. Now you are headlining your own tour. What makes you excited about this tour?
I’m excited to play for fans who want to come to see me play and aren’t there to watch somebody else play. It is awesome to have people singing the words.
Noah, thanks for your time and much success on your tour and new song release!
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