Noah Kahan’s ‘The Great Divide Tour’ sells out PNC Park
The Jewish singer-songwriter performed songs from his latest album “The Great Divide” to a crowd of roughly 40,000 at PNC Park stadium.
From the nosebleeds to the stadium floor, fans wrapped every corner of PNC Park on July 3 for Noah Kahan’s sold-out stop on “The Great Divide” tour. More than 40,000 people filled the ballpark, with crowds spilling out into the North Shore’s concourses, stairwells and sidewalk cafes.
Raised in Strafford, Vermont, Kahan has spoken about the indelible influence of his Jewish heritage on his father’s side, which has shaped his witty lyricism and sense of humor. Sardonic, confessional and woundingly earnest, Kahan’s latest album, “The Great Divide,” traverses themes of fame, loss and family dysfunction, examining the distance between the life he once knew and the one he now leads.
The show opened with “American Cars,” a vibrant and ardent melody about his older sister, who serves as the family “fixer” whenever things go awry. Throughout the night, he performed 13 tracks off his new album, including “Downfall,” a mournful duet with surprise guest singer Natalie Rose.
Highlights included “Porch Light,” during which LED wristbands enveloped the stadium in a radiant glow as Kahan, singing from his mother’s perspective, reflected on the emotional toll his newfound fame has taken on his loved ones and well-being.
The delicate, cyclical guitar work that defines the track reflects producer Aaron Dessner’s influence. Dessner, who is also Jewish, strays from the major chord progressions so typical of pop music, instead favoring steady, rhythmic arrangements. He has spoken about drawing inspiration from his Jewish heritage as well, incorporating elements of liturgical melodies into his work.
While “The Great Divide” anchored much of the two-hour performance, Kahan also devoted a significant portion of the set to his 2022 breakthrough album “Stick Season.” The record marked a dramatic shift from his hallmark pop-infused sound toward indie folk. Released as audiences emerged from the pandemic, its blunt lyricism, dry wit and raw vocals struck a chord with listeners in search of an authentic sound.
Standout performances include “Dial Drunk,” which Kahan delivered while getting mock-arrested on stage for drunk driving. “The View Between Villages” and “Orange Juice,” two of his most emotionally resonant songs, were similarly notable for their candid exploration of survivor’s guilt, addiction and regret.
Lightning pulsed through the sky above as he delivered a soaring rendition of “Maine,” the only song in the setlist from his 2020 EP “Cape Elizabeth”.
The “miserable” quality of the music, as Kahan half-jokingly described it, proved no deterrent; fans spent the night jumping, dancing and screaming-singing their way through the lyrics.
Kahan’s show coincided with Anthrocon, the world’s largest annual Furry convention. Kahan jokingly referenced the event multiple times during the event, even donning the head of a fan’s fursuit at one point.
“All of the animal kingdom is welcome tonight,” he said, laughing.
To Kahan, the City of Pittsburgh represents more than just a single stop on his world tour.
“My mom is from Pittsburgh — I grew up watching Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu,” Kahan said to the crowd. “It was one thing my grandad and I did together. We would sit in front of the TV and scream at Mike Tomlin.”
Before selling out PNC Park, Kahan played at Carnegie Mellon’s Wiegand Gymnasium in 2022, Stage AE in 2023 and Star Lake in 2024.
“It’s just insane to me that so many people showed up,” Kahan said. “We played so many shows here in Pittsburgh — never this many people.”
Indie Folk artists Annabelle Dinda and Gigi Perez opened for the show. Kahan continues “The Great Divide” tour later this month with performances at Boston’s Fenway Park. PJC
Octavia Liku can be reached at oliku@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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