bubblegum, rainbows, and butterflies

Quinn XCII LOOK! I’m Alive Tour

Artist Website | Opener: Allen Stone

Venue: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA – October 8, 2025

Vibe Check: 🌈 | Mic Check: 🤘🏽

Ride Like the Wind, Bullseye!

During my usual new music binge for Now Playing, I listened to “Kissed the Sun” by Quinn XCII and decided I needed to hear it live. The song just screams group sing-yell sesh and I knew it’d be the endorphin hit I’d need. Seeing Allen Stone as the opener made it a no-brainer.

I go to a lot of shows and I’m never surprised (and always disappointed) when the openers are playing to a half-empty room. Going early to shows is one of the best ways to discover new music! But, maaaan, was I surprised to see the usual “I’m only here for the headliner”-type crowds during Allen Stone’s set!

His performance at the Palladium was a demonstration of nearly 20 years of performance experience and command of the stage and his instrument. His touring band is also filled to the brim with talent and charisma and unbridled joy. All signs point to a new album release any day now so take yourself to his show to be transported funkytown.

The last time I saw Stone was in 2014 at Bilbao BBK, a Spanish music festival. I was far away from home on my first international solo trip and going to see Seattle-native Stone gave me a fleeting feeling of home. His vocals are truly insane and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he’s one of the better vocalists alive today.

She Doesn’t Even Go Here!

I have a bad habit of buying tickets to shows when I only know one song. My sister told me I shouldn’t do that as it’ll only lead to disappointment. What’s the point of being a big sister if you’re gonna take their advice? 🙄

The long story short here is I was surrounded by S U P E R F A N S. Fans that knew every word, bought every piece of merch, followed every instruction to throw their hands in the air.

I’m no party pooper. I, too, will wave my phone flashlight in the air like I just don’t care. And I will cheese and grin and dance like I know every song.

The power behind going to shows where you don’t know anything or anyone is you can really observe why people that are super fans are there. That night I learned that Quinn XCII’s music is simply positive. Bubblegum, rainbows, butterflies, the sun shines outta his ass — in the least offensive way. His music is joyful and full of optimism.

His show is full of call and response, danceability, instructions to get on people’s shoulders, and “now YOU sing!”-audience karaoke. The performance is interactive, fun, and demands physical connection with the people around you.

All that is better than drugs.

But we all know how the Just Say No campaign went 😉

Ch-check One-Two