Live: Jonah Kagen Takes “The Roads” To NYC

Jonah Kagen took "The Roads" to NYC’s Mercury Lounge this week. 

The singer-songwriter released his debut EP georgia got colder in late 2022 and has gone on tour supporting Maisie Peters. 2023 has brought a handful of singles along with his own headline tour.  

Gracing the stage with acoustic guitar in hand and harmonica in mouth, Jonah kicked off the night with the opening track from his EP, “hill that i’ll die on.” Fairy lights adorned the stage, wrapping around the microphone to create a warm atmosphere that enveloped the entire venue. 

Acoustic bliss was the vibe of the night. Joined by opener Dylan Rockoff on guitar, the two delivered an intimate performance. They wowed the audience with their musical chemistry, improvisation, and riffing off each other.

Surprised at the turnout of a sold-out Mercury Lounge show, Jonah admitted his uncertainty at the turnout, joking, “I thought there’d be one guy. And it’s my dad running merch.” However, a room full of enthusiastic fans had turned up to support Jonah, with one fan even distributing custom beaded bracelets, each bearing the name of a different song.

While playing originals, Jonah noted that he was inspired by Alejandro Aranda’s (Scarypoolparty) cover of a specific song. Putting his own spin on it, Jonah treated the crowd to his rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” 

Jonah’s got warm vocals and a warm personality. Cracking jokes throughout the night, he created an environment that felt close and comfortable, like watching him play in his living room. At one point, he playfully dubbed himself "Jojo," and for the rest of the night, he became "Jojo" in the eyes of the audience.

Playing an intimate set allowed Jonah to explain some of his songs and how they came to be. Asking the crowd if anybody had heard of the app Random Nautica, Jonah told a story of how the app ended up leading him down a dark alleyway in L.A. Finding a mural with musical notes, coupled with a chord progression coming from a passing car, these elements inspired Jonah to write “graveyard shift.” 

The audience was treated to an unreleased song titled "This Life Ain't Easy," exciting fans with the promise of new material on the horizon.

As the night drew to a close with "The Roads," Jonah couldn't step off the stage without hearing the crowd's fervent pleas for one more song. Their cheers led Jonah to pick up his guitar once again and deliver the highly requested "Barcelona."

Don’t miss Jonah on tour! Tickets for all dates are available here.

See photos from the show here.