Kahan keeps it in-house
The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, August 9, 2023
Reviewed by Dan MacIntosh
Some of Kahan's recordings feature banjo and mandolin, giving them a strong Americana feel, and the singer/songwriter even had the wisdom to cover Jason Isbell's "Vampires" (although he didn't sing that one tonight). Thus, a Kahan live show sure looked promising – at least on paper.
However, Kahan's live music sounds closer to Mumford & Sons, with just a tad bit of Dave Matthews mixed in vocally. He's a good, but not great singer, and his songs tend to all blend together after a while. The popular song, "Dial Drunk," which Kahan pre-announced as a composition about a "drunk asshole," went over well, and when Lizzy McAlpine made a surprise guest appearance to sing a duet on "Call Your Mom," it certainly boosted the energy in the house. With that said, though, if you weren't already a fan, you probably felt a little bit like an outsider that even a house full of energized Kahan fanatics couldn't fix.
Opener Joy Oladokun was actually a far more engaging performer. Whether she belted out a few of the lines on "Sweet Symphony," a ballad she'd recorded with Chris Stapleton, or got Weezer-ly nerdy with the rocker "We're All Going To Die," Oladokun packed her set with plenty of sonic variety. She even included a credible cover of Elton John's "Rocket Man." She mixed in sincere spoken song introductions with a quick sense of humor, which only made us want to hear more from her.
Kahan has created a strong bond with his devoted audience. The jury is still out, though, on whether or not he'll be able to widen this circle.
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