Photojournalist: Sophia Bronwyn

Jonah Kagen’s stop at Fine Line felt less like a formal tour date and more like a homecoming hang, warm, intimate, and quietly emotional in the best way. The show was part of his Sunflower and Leather tour, and that balance between softness and strength showed up in every corner of the set. 

The room was packed but calm, the kind of crowd that actually listens, and Jonah met that energy perfectly. Inside the Fine Line, the warmth of the night made it easy for Minnesotans to forget about the brutal negative windchill barreling through the city outside. His voice carried easily through the venue, clear and unforced, letting the weight of his lyrics do most of the heavy lifting.

A metaphor on life itself, Sunflower and Leather, Jonah Kagan’s first full-length album, four years in the making, explores the highs and lows with sunflowers pointing to moments of joy, growth, and light, and leather reflecting tougher periods of hardship and struggle. Both images become symbols of resilience and perseverance, emblematic of the overarching theme of hope woven throughout the record. That theme felt especially potent in Minneapolis, a city wrestling with deep tensions and pain amid a surge of federal immigration enforcement.

The Sunflower and Leather tracks translated beautifully live, leaning into vulnerability without ever feeling fragile. Candy Land was a personal standout that distilled much of the album’s emotional weight into a single moment. Lyrics like “You’re a Band-Aid that don’t stop the bleed” and “If I could, I would cut you clean” reflected the push and pull between self-awareness and attachment, and resonated deeply in the room. Stripped back and honest, the song felt especially powerful in a live setting.There was an easy honesty in the way Jonah introduced songs, brief stories, quiet jokes, moments of reflection, that made the album feel less like a finished product and more like a living, breathing conversation with the audience.

One of the most charming moments of the night came when Jonah talked about his connection to Minnesota, sharing that he went to high school here. He joked that he wouldn’t say which one, then immediately laughed and admitted that all of the information is available online anyway. “I’m an open book,” he shrugged, earning an easy round of laughter from the crowd. That self-aware humor made the room feel even closer, like we were all in on the joke together.

You could feel the shift in energy after that, cheers, warmth, that collective oh, you’re one of ours feeling. It added an extra layer of intimacy to the set, making the quieter songs hit harder and the hopeful ones feel communal. By the end of the night, Fine Line was wrapped in that familiar post-show glow, phones lowered, voices hoarse from singing along, hearts a little fuller than when we walked in.

Jonah Kagan doesn’t rely on spectacle or big moments; he lets Sunflower and Leather speak for itself through sincerity, storytelling, and genuine connection. Minneapolis clearly still holds a piece of him, and judging by the crowd’s response, the feeling is mutual. It’s no surprise that the show made the local Star Tribune’s list of top 10 concerts happening in Minnesota this week. 

The Sunflower and Leather tour continues through the end of March, with additional dates across the U.S. Fans can find full tour information and purchase tickets via Jonah Kagan’s official website.

photos by Sophia Bronwyn