"This is the only city in the world that I've ever felt at home in, and I want to say thank you guys so much for sticking with me and being here to see us tonight. It's the privilege of a lifetime...We're here to raise a lot of f*cking money for The Busyhead Project and the Red Sox Foundation. You guys are really making a difference, and it means so much to me, and it's going to mean so much to the people that these resources help." - Noah Kahan, November 20th

Beloved New England-born-and-raised musician Noah Kahan performed a benefit concert at MGM Music Hall Fenway on Thursday, November 20th, to support The Busyhead Project and Red Sox Foundation. After playing two sold-out shows right next door at Fenway Park in the summer of 2024 to over 65,000 fans, he made his highly anticipated return to the city for a special cause at an intimate venue. Named after Noah Kahan’s 2019 debut album, The Busyhead Project aims to provide resources and information needed to end the stigma around mental health. Derived from his own life experiences, Kahan has been vocal about his mental health journey and challenges since a young age, remaining steadfast in his commitment to utilizing his platform to shed light on the topic.

Known for his raw vocals, candid lyricism, and unabashed love of New England culture, this Vermonter's homecoming was a much-needed celebration and reminder of the power of community. Kahan's loyal fanbase views him as a role model, admiring how he leads by example in advocating for what matters to him, making it only natural that guests camped out at the crack of dawn to secure the best spot at the venue. One of those fans, Taylor Stone, shared, "There is just something so special about hearing these songs live with some of my best friends. I have always been inspired by what Noah has done with The Busyhead Project. I really wanted to be here to support him and his work."

Right at doors, the merchandise line snaked up over three flights of stairs and around the venue, showcasing how eager everyone was to crack open their wallets and contribute to the cause. Fans in hand-crocheted sweaters and merchandise from previous eras waited for designs that included a Boston-exclusive shirt and green hat. The Busyhead Project and the Red Sox Foundation revealed that they raised over $1.5 million last night, bringing the total to over $7 million raised by The Busyhead Project since 2023 to help make mental healthcare accessible for all.

At tonight's show, local groups including the Shine Initiative and The Simple Emotions were present. Marissa Young, Senior Program Associate at Shine Initiative, expressed her gratitude to Kahan for sharing his larger audience and platform, noting, "We provide mental health education to students in grades 6th-12th, which I think everybody knows is extremely important with the mental health crisis going on. This is huge for us to be here to get our name out into the world and to raise awareness around mental health." Camden Blum, founder of The Simple Emotions, expressed how merging music with important topics helps people "express what words sometimes can’t, and that was felt not only through the show itself but through the heartfelt conversations we shared with fans throughout the night."

Toward the back of the floor, guests could write a response to The Busyhead Project card prompts, which included "I take care of my mental health by," "Someone that I'm grateful for," and "I showed up for myself today by." They then added their responses to a clothing line, creating a heartfelt moment of connection as guests read each other's answers.

Rebekah Salwasser, Executive Vice President, Social Impact & Executive Director at the Red Sox Foundation, came on stage to announce that Counselor Sharon Durkan and the City of Boston had declared November 20th, 2025, as "The Busyhead Project Day," a meaningful way to commemorate the occasion. The benefit concert merged two notoriously passionate fan groups, sports and music, around a shared cause. These groups share a passionate energy and sense of urgency, making it the perfect collaboration.

The Red Sox Foundation aims to make a difference in the lives of youth, Veterans, families, and communities in need by improving their health, educational, and recreational opportunities. They organized a silent auction for the night featuring signed jerseys and memorabilia from Boston icon David Ortiz, aka Big Papi. Other items included Stick Season merchandise packages, Fenway experiences, and a plate from the Green Monster signed by Kahan himself.

Soon after, the lights dimmed, and Kahan ran out on stage carrying a baseball to throw a first pitch to his bandmates. Boston surprised him with a heartfelt fan project: posters reading "Welcome Home" that guests held throughout the crowd, organized by Kayden Willey and Amber Veras. He expressed his gratitude by welcoming everyone with the song "All My Love," setting the euphoric tone for his set. He effortlessly weaved between high-energy tracks and emotional moments, using humor to pull everyone in before songs like "New Perspective," introducing the song by saying, "We're going to play a song about wishing the worst for someone, and I thought it would be perfect to play here in New England."

He also played an unreleased song titled "Deny Deny Deny." It was chock-full of his signature charged folk instrumentals, catchy hooks, and clever lyrics like "Do you still have a heart or has somebody stolen it?" His expressive movements, jumps, and uncharted liveliness were contagious. Even as he was dripping in sweat in his full Carhartt work suit, he poured his heart and soul into every beat.

Toward the end of the night, Kahan brought out musician and former One Direction member Niall Horan as a special guest on the fan-favorite track "Northern Attitude," a clever song for the pair to split as they both hail from the Northern regions of Vermont and Ireland. The duo's strong vocals melted together as they split the verses and united for the final chorus, eliciting some of the biggest cheers of the night. Horan bid adieu to the crowd and gave Kahan a kiss on the cheek before dipping backstage to dance along to the final songs.

Kahan returned for a two-song encore, leaving everything on the stage. He emerged in a custom green Red Sox City Connect jersey and concluded the benefit concert with the global hit "Stick Season," smack dab in the middle of stick season, no less. Fans emphatically sang along as if it were the first song of the night, holding onto each other and savoring the moment.

Join Kahan and the Boston community in supporting The Busyhead Project and the Red Sox Foundation. Stay tuned, because Kahan closed the show by leaving Boston with a final message, "We'll be back sooner than you think."