LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Dermot Kennedy, Jonah Kagen, Aaron Rowe in Boston, MA (09.18.26)
Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy visited Boston over the weekend for a pair of shows at MGM Music Hall. Kennedy’s connection to Boston runs deep, early in his career he spent a summer living in Boston and busking on the streets and in the parks around the city. In 2023 he celebrated St. Patrick’s Day week by playing pop-ups at intimate Boston bars. In March of 2025 he held the inaugural Misneach Festival in Boston, a two day festival of Irish music. The festival started with an intimate night of rising artists playing Brighton Music Hall, where Kennedy made a surprise appearance during the night’s final set. Day two was held at Boston’s TD Garden where he headlined and played a full set on one of the cities’ biggest stages.
This year, he opted to book two shows at the 5,007 capacity MGM Music Hall. A legion of loyal fans lined up hours in advance of the show looking to secure a spot on the barricade. After opening sets from last minute addition Aaron Rowe — who dropped off the Ed Sheeran tour – and Savannah, GA born singer-songwriter Jonah Kagen, Kennedy took to a stage adorned with fake moss and trees, on theme with his new album Weight of the Woods.
Opening with “Honest,” the third single from the new record Kennedy set the tone with his stunning vocal prowess and acoustic guitar backed by a multi person band. He quickly shifted the set back to his debut album, Without Fear, playing through the smash hit “Outnumbered,” one of the first songs to put Kennedy on the map, earning a Gold certification from the RIAA.
After a few more songs from the new album, he shifted to “An Evening I Will Not Forget,” the first song he released, back in 2015. Each song was accompanied by beautiful visuals, there was even an interlude with a short speech that was recorded by Kennedy’s mother.
Towards the middle of the set, Kennedy was joined by Aaron Rowe to perform a traditional Irish song, “Carrickfurgus.” He followed with the song “Boston” written early in his career, he acknowledged that anyone who knew the lyrics to that song had been a fan for a while. Kennedy typically only plays the song when performing in Boston.
The following song, “Weight of the Woods” was marked by a fan project as fans placed green paper hearts over their phone lights when Kennedy asked for the audience to light up the room with their phones.
The remainder of the set rolled on like a freight train, hitting “Better Days” and “Power Over Me” as the show reached it’s emotional peek. Electing to forgo an encore break, Kennedy went right into the softer “Funeral” to close the night out before thanking his loyal Boston audience for their support.
The connection between Boston and Ireland is well known, and Kennedy’s shows in Boston feeling like hometown shows whenever he plays locally. He’ll play one more New England area show tonight, heading up to Gilford, NH to play BankNH Pavilion. Tickets for that show start at $27.50 and are available – HERE.
Photos – Dermot Kennedy, Jonah Kagen, Aaron Rowe at MGM Music Hall in Boston, MA on September 18th:
