Dermot Kennedy 2026 'The Weight of the Woods' Tour | Huntington Bank Pavillion

11 Sep, 2026 Jade Riley Concert Reviews, Folk, Indie, Latest, Pop, Rock 0

Dermot Kennedy - Photo credit: Jade Winkoski

Dermot Kennedy 2026 Tour

The Dermot Kennedy The Weight of the Woods tour stopped at Huntington Bank Pavillion on September 11, 2026. Irish singer-songwriter Dermot toured with American singer-songwriter Jonah Kagen. Both artists are known for their raw and emotional folk songs; thus, the combination of these two artists made for a night full of both laughter and tears for anyone in the audience.

Jonah Kagen

I have had the pleasure of photographing Jonah Kagen a handful of times over the past few years. The first time I photographed him was 2.5 years ago at Beat Kitchen in Chicago while he was sick with food poisoning. Since then, his career has grown exponentially as he has released hit singles like “God Needs the Devil” which pays homage to his previous biggest hit “The Roads”. Jonah travels with Sam Johnston, Jefferson Rinck, and Dalton Thomas who play guitar, bass, and drums respectively. They have been touring with Jonah for the past year, and the group’s chemistry is undeniable. There are few artists that seem to enjoy being onstage and performing the way Jonah and his band do. Along with his biggest hits, Jonah’s setlist included deeply personal songs like “Krissy”, giving the audience insight into his childhood and family life. Jonah is on tour with Dermot across the U.S. until the end of October. He releases his second album Eternity of Anything on October 29, the closing day of his tour with Dermot. Keep up with the latest information on Jonah Kagen at: jonahkagen.com

Dermot Kennedy

This was my first time seeing Dermot in concert, and after speaking with fans in line before the show, I knew it would be an incredible night. I met many fans who have gone to multiple stops on this tour, and once Dermot’s performance began, I completely understood why fans would rearrange their lives to be a part of this experience for a little longer. Dermot is known for being extremely private about his personal life, but this performance felt like we saw a glimpse of who he is not only as an artist, but as a person. The raw emotion in his voice could be felt throughout the crowd. Not only did he play his most popular songs like “Power Over Me” and “Paradise”, but he also slowed down the set with a cover of the deeply emotional Irish folk song “Carrickfergus”.

Dermot’s stage setup was stunning and brought life to the show. The stage was surrounded by moss and grass, and Dermot had stone steps in the middle of the stage. His backing visuals often displayed forests or other nature themed images as well. Not only was the set design incredible but his traveling band was incredible as well. He traveled with Collins McLaughlin on fiddle, Elize Kellman and James Bradshaw on backing vocals, Benjamin Keys on keys, Glyn Daniels on drums, Simon Francis on bass, and Sam Killeen on guitar. His band was extremely talented and clearly cared deeply for one another.

Towards the middle of the show, Dermot shared a story about his aunt who was a light not only for him, but for his entire family during dark times. He wrote the song “After Rain” while thinking about her and encouraged crowd interaction during the song. Hearing the entire crowd shout the lyrics “you won’t go lonely here” was deeply moving and made me feel a kinship with the rest of the audience. Dermot created a safe space to feel your emotions and the fans did not take this for granted. Before the show, fans handed out small green pieces of paper to hold up during “The Weight of the Woods”. Throughout this song you could see green lights scattered across the crowd. As the night ended, Dermot chose not to do an encore but instead ended with a strong and emotional performance of “Funeral”.

Conclusion: Dermot Kennedy at Huntington Bank Pavillion 2026

Dermot put on an incredible show at Huntington Bank Pavillion. The weather was perfect for an outdoor concert and the bands and the crowd were energized. Jonah Kagen’s set was both emotional and hilarious. It complemented Dermot’s The Weight of the Woods tour beautifully. Dermot Kennedy not only gave an amazing performance, but he created an atmosphere of community and solidarity within the audience. I am so glad I was able to photograph this show and experience a piece of the magic these talented artists have created.