Denver, Colorado — To paraphrase what Noah Kahan once sung, he’s mean because he grew up in New England.
The folk singer/songwriter is known for his raw lyrics and views on life, shaped by his time living in Vermont. One thing people should know about him is that he’s a passionate skier, which unsurprisingly means he has some opinions on the ski industry.
Noah’s currently on tour, and he has a bit where he picks up his phone and takes a call from a random person. Sometimes it’s an actual person (like Rob Gronkowski), and sometimes it’s a one-sided chat. On night 1 of his Denver shows at Coors Field, he took a phone call “from” Vail Resorts. He then proceeded to tell them to “go fuck yourselves.” The crowd appeared to love it, as Vail’s presence in Colorado is quite large.
Noah’s History With Vail Resorts
For additional context, Noah referenced Vail Resorts in his song Paul Revere, which is about longing to move on from your hometown.
“This place had a heartbeat in its day
Vail bought the mountains, and nothing was the same.”
Which mountains Noah is referring to isn’t clear, but Vail bought/took over operations at many ski resorts between 2017 and 2019 around his hometown of Strafford, Vermont. This includes Stowe, Okemo, Mount Sunapee, Mount Snow, Attitash, Wildcat, Crotched Mountain, and Hunter Mountain.
Matthew Prince Could Probably Name Five Songs
Vail Resorts has faced increased scrutiny in recent months after an underwhelming ski season caused by warm weather and a lack of snowfall at its Western destinations. Recent reports suggest that activists are considering a takeover push, and billionaire Matthew Prince has continued to speak out against the company in an attempt to have them sell Park City Mountain Resort to him.
Matthew Prince was thrilled with Noah’s diss, saying that the artist “knows how broken Vail Resorts is.” He also claims he’s an earnings-call regular, which seems worthy of a community note.
Vail is trying to change people’s perspective on them, as the company announced the Epic Experience initiative earlier this summer. This includes improved food ingredients, employee initiatives, and higher-end offerings for wealthier guests.
Meanwhile, Noah is nearing the conclusion of his sold-out The Great Divide tour, which finishes at the end of august. Timing seems intentional there. He’ll wrap that up, and then host his annual Folk and Fairways charity event in Stowe. While this concert is next to a Vail Resorts property (Stowe), he’s performing at a spot owned by Hyatt.
Image/Video Credits: By Raph_PH – https://www.flickr.com/photos/raph_ph/54645809445/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=190422705, Camp Thomas
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