“If you’re wearing a flannel, have your hair in French braids or can sing, even a little, get on stage, now,” rang out from a megaphone outside the Davis Center.
A crowd gathered on the Andrew Harris Commons on Thursday, Dec. 5, as UVM got a taste of the look-a-like competitions taking over the country. The crowd came to see 16 flannel-laden, beard-sporting, Noah Kahan impersonators compete for the title of his doppelgänger.
The Vermont native folk-pop artist caught wind of the competition and reposted UPB’s Instagram post to his own story with an addition.
“Winner gets my skin, hair, muscle tissue, and mental and physical weakness,” stated Kahan on his Instagram.
UPB’s winning prize, a vinyl copy of “Stick Season,” his most popular album, was slightly less intrusive.
Winner Sam Spanierman, ‘18, is a current UVM Student Financial Services employee and Vermont native. He is often told about his resemblance to the singer-songwriter and was encouraged by many to attend the contest.
“I was sent the post a couple of times. […] I came into this totally blind,” he said. “I didn’t have any expectations whatsoever.”
The competition began around 12:15 p.m. after contestants had lined up on stage and speakers playing Kahan’s “Northern Attitude” were set up. Each participant was asked to state their name and allowed to make a small case for themselves before the crowd could express their opinions in the form of cheers.
After the first round, judges weren’t convinced of the most impressive Noah. From 16 down to just the four most convincing, the final judging began.
Spanierman’s win resulted from an eruption of clapping and cheers from the audience. He was awarded his prize, organizers thanked all participants and attendees and the competition was complete.
Audience members flocked to the stage to snap a picture with the Noah look-alike, posing questions about his potential familial ties.
Spanierman took photos with each person who asked and even gave away his prize to one attendee.
“I don’t need that gift,” he said. “I thought it was a better service to someone who really wanted it.”
The event was created by Casey O’Toole, UPB concert committee member, from a joke that snowballed into something more.
“It was so wholesome,” O’Toole said. “I’m really grateful that we got to have a little break from finals to give people a little joy. We had a little sing-along. It was great.”
Spanierman echoed the sentiment of wholesome fun.
“We were all Noah Kahan today,” he said.
