Noah Kahan Is Bringing All His Love to Intimate Concert in Celebration of Small Business Saturday

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Having grown up in the small town of Strafford, Vermont, local businesses were a vital part of Noah Kahan’s upbringing. Reflecting on some of his favorite local shops, he couldn’t help but shout out Coburn’s General Store, which the 27-year-old singer still considers to be the “heart of the town.”

Now, to celebrate all mom and pop stores, the “Dial Drunk” singer has teamed up with American Express to put on an intimate concert in celebration of the company’s 15th annual Small Business Saturday celebration.

The small concert will take place Saturday, Nov. 30, at The Riviera in Charleston, South Carolina, and unlike his sold-out stadium shows, Kahan will be prepping for this small concert a little differently.

“I actually think there’s more pressure on the small and intimate shows because you can pretty much see every person’s face in there,” he says in an interview with Billboard. “In an arena, I can just be like, ‘Oh, they’re probably having a good time,’ but in a small venue, you can see people start to be mad at you if you’re not doing well. It’s important to bring your A-game, first of all, but also just making sure you do justice to the occasion and to the venue.”

He also hinted that concertgoers can look forward to stripped-back and acoustic versions of songs, which he doesn’t always get the opportunity to do in a large venue.

“We have a lot of songs that the band and I are working on, where we’re going to have a chance to really strip some things back and play some older music, which would be really fun, and maybe play a couple of songs that people haven’t heard yet,” Kahan adds.

Big-box stores may be your first thought when thinking of the ultimate gifts to surprise everyone on your list, from music lovers to aspiring musicians and singers, but the “Dial Drunk” singer wants to remind you to think of small businesses first. Some of his personal favorite local shops include Hanover Strings in Hanover, New Hampshire, where the Grammy-nominated singer learned to play guitar. And for foodies, some of his favorite Mexican food spots include Salt Lake City’s Red Iguana and Mas Tacos Por Favor in Nashville.

And if you want more recommendations from the Billboard Hot 100-charting artist, he told ShopBillboard the products he relies on to get ready for shows, as well as some Stick Season essentials below.

Noah Kahan’s Pre-Show Must-Haves

Besides supporting local businesses, Kahan is most looking forward to performing in front of a small crowd, which he feels is another way he can give back.

“I’m excited for the folks coming to the show to feel like they’re being supported, that their community is being supported,” he says.

Before he gets onstage, there are a few things he must use beforehand to feel fully prepared to give fans the best experience possible. In addition to some Vermont local honey he was given, he also relies on a Vicks steamer and Throat Coat tea to prep his vocal cords.

Noah Kahan’s Stick Season Essentials

Before snow coats the ground, there is a moment of time in between fall and winter that Kahan has called Stick Season (which is also the title of his highly praised album). During this period, you can expect cloudy skies, cold weather and, like the name suggests, lots of sticks on the ground. To help you get through the chilly weather, the “Orange Juice” singer has a few essentials that’ll help keep you cozy even through the winter.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best Latinx brands to shop, black-owned businesses and woman-owned small businesses.