Vance Joy kicks off US tour at Thompson’s Point

On Wednesday, September 3, Portland, Maine, felt like it was showing off. The skies were clear, the air had just a hint of fall crispness, and Thompson’s Point was packed for the first night of Vance Joy’s American tour. Maine is known for bringing autumn in early, and this show made the season’s arrival feel celebratory.

The night started with two back-to-back acoustic sets. Kyle Scheusler, armed only with his guitar, set a reflective tone while still carrying the massive outdoor stage with ease. In a moment that drew smiles, he shared that he was opening for the band behind the first song he ever learned on guitar. It was a full-circle milestone that Portland was thrilled to witness.

Next came Jonah Kagen, another rising songwriter, who leaned into the humor of the situation. “I’m so excited to be on the white guys with floppy hair and guitars tour,” he joked, immediately winning the crowd over. His set closed with some clever loop pedal work, proving he could hold down a big stage with more than just charm.

After that, the energy shifted. Evan Honer stormed in with his band, bringing a genre-blurring set that touched on indie folk, outlaw country, pop, and flashes of rock. With synchronized dancing, bursts of guitar (and banjo) shredding, and undeniable chemistry, Honer turned the lawn into what can only be described as a full fledged hootenanny. He ended with “idk shit about cars,” a song as funny as it is catchy, sealing his status as the surprise powerhouse of the openers.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the stage belonged to Vance Joy. Portland showed up in force, and the Australian songwriter delivered a set that balanced the hits everyone came for with some welcome surprises.

Of course, “Riptide” was the inevitable closer, but before that came a wide-ranging setlist that showcased just how much Joy’s discography has grown. “Missing Piece,” written during the pandemic, resonated as one of the brighter things to come out of that time, as Joy himself noted. He also offered fans an unreleased track, “Fascinations in the Dark,” with a bluesy, hook-filled chorus that practically begged to be sung back.

Midway through, he left the main stage and popped up on a tiny platform in the middle of the crowd. There, in an intimate three-song mini-set, he performed “Divine Feelings,” a song he’d released only the day before. The moment underlined why Vance Joy’s shows work so well: he can scale from festival-ready anthems to living-room intimacy without missing a beat.

When the first chords of “Riptide” rang out, he already had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand. Portland may have just been the opening stop, but it felt like a triumphant homecoming. In a city known for ushering in fall a little early, Vance Joy brought summer to a perfect close.

Vance Joy’s tour continues throughout the fall. Dates and tickets are available here.