Noah Kahan, the breakout folk-pop singer-songwriter, performed for a sold-out crowd at the Miller High Life Theatre on Saturday night, a concert which was upgraded from the Riverside Theatre due to the increasing demand to see the “Stick Season” artist live and in person. From his soulful vocals and insightful lyrics to his electrifying stage presence, Kahan is a performer who consistently delivers a show that is both memorable and meaningful, giving us plenty of reasons why you should have been one of the approximately 4,000 fans who filled the theater last night.
Here are our five reasons why you shouldn’t have missed Noah Kahan’s Milwaukee performance on Saturday night:
1. Kahan’s popularity has skyrocketed
Noah Kahan has been grinding for years and signed with Republic Records over a decade ago – but since his breakout single “Stick Season," Kahan’s popularity has increased exponentially. It wasn’t long ago when Kahan was performing for less than 1,000 fans at the Turner Hall Ballroom in 2021. Fast-forward less than two years later and Kahan sold out the Miller High Life Theatre down the street for a sold-out crowd of approximately 4,000 fans. One can only wonder how many more fans would have purchased tickets if capacity wasn’t an issue.
2. He performed the majority of his newest album
Fans of Kahan’s latest studio album, “Stick Season," are in luck with his 2023 tour as the singer performs the vast majority of the LP, released in October of 2022. The album was a pandemic baby of sorts, written by Kahan back home in Vermont during quarantine, and it’s certainly Kahan’s most successful album to date. Through Saturday night’s performance, Kahan delivered several great performances from the project, including songs like “New Perspective," “Everywhere, Everything," “Northern Attitude” and many more. Kahan still gave love to his first two albums, 2021’s “I Was/I Am” and 2019’s “Busyhead," in his setlist with select songs throughout the night.
3. It’s been a sad concert season this winter
Big concerts in the city have been few and far between the past couple months. Things can get depressing for music fans during the winter months, especially those who aren’t fans of the cold and snow, so a drought in concerts can sting. In fact, one of the better music venues in Milwaukee has been at a hockey rink following Admirals games. You don’t get much more Wisconsin than that. So with a big name artist coming to town, there was no better reason to get out of the house for a night of live music.
4. The Miller High Life Theatre is a great place to catch a show
Although it doesn’t host as many concerts as the Pabst, Riverside and Eagles Ballroom, the Miller High Life Theatre is an excellent venue for live music. The acoustics and sightlines were great for all in attendance at the 4,087-capacity venue on Saturday night. From the beautiful rotunda lobby to the technical behind-the-scenes factors that make a venue great for live music, the theater is a great host for your favorite singer.
5. He put the cherry on top of a memorable evening with an encore performance of his biggest hit
With fans still wanting more, Noah Kahan returned to the stage for an three-song encore performance which included his massive breakout single “Stick Season." Despite the record blowing up on TikTok in 2020, “Stick Season” is a beautiful and relatable track that resonates with many well beyond the social media app’s target demo. Derived from the Vermont saying “stick season," which describes the transition from the fall to winter, Kahan’s title track paints a picture about moving on from heartbreak. Along with his songs “The View Between Villages” and “Mess," Kahan’s encore was a perfect ending to an already memorable night.
