Dermot Kennedy brings ‘The Weight of the Woods’ to Syracuse

Dermot Kennedy brought his “The Weight of the Woods” album tour to an emotional crowd at the Empower FCU Amphitheater on Saturday night. 

Opener Jonah Kagen started the evening with a joyful set, rocking out with his guitarists and joking with the crowd. He shared a story about how he used to play barefoot, detailing the technical difficulties that came with it to the laughter of the audience. 

Kennedy took the stage at the top of the stairs at the center of the set, silhouetted by spotlights along with his band. He opened with “The Weight of the Woods (Reprise),” the first song off the artist’s 2026 album. 

He went on to sing hits like “Power Over Me” and “Outnumbered”, along with tracks from the album. Shouts of “We love you, Dermot” came from the crowd after nearly every song. Fans cried and sang along with Kennedy’s powerful voice and melancholy lyrics, waving their flashlights during “The Weight of the Woods.” 

Kennedy gave a long introduction to his song “Let Me In,” which brought an eruption of cheers from the audience. He said he had never gotten such a large reaction, joking that the song had “apparently gone triple platinum in Syracuse.” 

The show was the last of the summer concert series at the Empower FCU Amphitheater, and Kennedy closed out the season in spectacular fashion. He finished his set by shouting out the members of his band before closing with “Funeral,” eliciting more tears from the audience.