Noah Kahan brought his powerful songwriting to Saturday Night Live this weekend, performing a two-song set that demonstrated his ability to rouse a crowd even on a soundstage.
The Vermont singer-songwriter inaugurated the night’s show with “The Great Divide,” the title track from his newest album, which came out April 24th. He followed that up later in the night with a performance of “Doors.”
The set dressing of the two performances showed the contrasts of lyrical ideas within similar musical arrangements.
For “The Great Divide,” we’re in a home built on the soundstage, a wood burning stove opposite a couch. The inside setting embodied the interior balladry of the song, which lyrically wrestles with looking back at a youthful misunderstanding of someone searching for faith and salvation and taking such a search for granted amid getting high and listening to songs just for the bass, instead of the message.
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Split between acoustic and electric instruments, Kahan’s writing and performance formula is to build a song in its four minute life, starting with lowkey singing and acoustic guitar then layering driving rhythm, electric and folk instruments with rising vocal intensity.
He has embraced the woos-and-ahhs Barncore of Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers. But Kahan’s singalongs are more about guttural expression of an individual than melodic solidarity with listeners, which was on display towards the end his first song on SNL. He howled in a falsetto, stretching to reach notes in a cathartic display.
The emotional interiority of “The Great Divide” soundstage was juxtaposed to the outside depiction and external relationship expressed “Doors,” probably the more endearing of the two performances.
On a dimly lit stage, a floor of fog and a serene backdrop of a landscape dimly lit, dotted by trees and a mercurial sky flashing with lightning, Kahan set the stage for a natural and stormy performance.
Kahan’s understated beginning, with acoustic guitar, light percussion and vocals that seemed to reach into the rolling hills behind him, built to a driving ensemble of an anthem.
The song built in intensity and arrangement. Reaching his vocal peak, Kahan sang “Have you ever stared directly at the sun/ Have you ever shared some closeness so exposed to have it spit back by someone one.” The stunning backdrop, transformed from dusk to night, a moonlit sky, began to glide by, seemingly moving at the tempo of a car speeding to an unknown destination.
Kahan roused the crowd, bringing them to cheers along as the band circled up and exchanged energy for the bridge, plowing to the final chorus with the entire seven piece band at their microphones for a inspired conclusion.
Kahan demonstrated with his SNL set that balladry and sincerity resonate without gimmicks or massive budgets.
The Great Divide is Kahan’s fourth album. Revisit our 2024 story about Kahan, who discussed loving live music, songwriting, and maintaining his “northern attitude.”
Kahan embarks on his 2026 North American tour in June, hitting cities like Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and more. Fans can find tickets for sold out shows and deals here.
Noah Kahan 2026 North American Tour Dates:
06/11 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
06/12 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
06/14 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music Festival
06/26 — Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park
06/28 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium
07/01 — Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ball Park
07/03 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park
07/07 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/08 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/10 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/11 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/12 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/14 — Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
07/15 — Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
07/18 — Queens, NY @ Citi Field
07/22 — Washington, DC @ Nationals Park
07/25 — Raleigh, NC @ Carter-Finley Stadium
07/27 — Atlanta, GA @ Truist Park
07/30 — Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field
08/02 — St. Louis, MO @ Busch Stadium
08/05 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field
08/08 — Denver, CO @ Coors Field
08/09 — Denver, CO @ Coors Field
08/15 — Pasadena, CA @ Rose Bowl Stadium
08/17 — San Diego, CA @ Petco Park
08/19 — Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field
08/21 — San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park
08/25 — Sandy, UT @ America First Field
08/28 — Vancouver, BC @ BC Place
08/30 — Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park
08/31 — Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park
