Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Even though soulful pop meets hip-hop singer/songwriter Quinn XCII stayed committed to grinding across five increasingly embraced albums, he’ll be the first to admit to feeling like a bit of a music industry underdog and is always ready to offer empathy to anyone feeling the same on their course, so much so that it sparked the name to his latest recording and headlining tour, “The People’s Champ.”

After all, it was his faithful fans who filled up Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island, along with those of equally solid support acts ARIZONA and Julia Wolf, cumulatively turning in at least three hours of contagious, life-affirming anthems.

The Detroit native was truly at the top of his game thus far, performing a solid chunk of the current collection with top shelf musicians and a clever sports-themed production, plus constantly catchy morsels from a multi-platinum past, including “Common,” “A Letter To My Younger Self” “Straightjacket,” “Always Been You” and “Too Late.”

Quinn XCII had total command of the crowd the entire time, even when it came to a cheeky, auto-tuned cover of Cher’s “Believe,” though everyone wound up singing along even louder to signatures such as the “Flare Guns,” “Kings Of Summer,” “Look How Far We’ve Come” and “Candle.”

Optimism also abounded throughout ARIZONA’s dozen tracks, including several off the band’s self-titled third long player, which finds the fellas, who are actually from New Jersey, perfecting their hook-heavy electropop pulsations.

Prior dance floor fillers “Freaking Out” and “What She Wants” set the tone for the group’s supreme banger “Pressure,” while “Moving On” tapped into an important message of making mental health a priority.

By the time ARIZONA closed with the sublime ballad “Oceans Away,” its ongoing ascent was more obvious than ever and will probably propel the players to topping bills at venues of similar stature sooner than later.

Singer/songwriter/piano player Julia Wolf is also well on her way to do the same thanks to introspective and connective alternative pop tunes featured on the new project, “Good Thing We Stayed.”

In between, she empowered the audience with stories of rising above a series of personal roadblocks to arrive at her true destiny, which like the other artists, was worth betting on all along.

For additional information on Quinn XCII, ARIZONA and Julia Wolf, visit QuinnXCII.com, ThisIsARIZONAMusic.com and GirlsInPurgatory.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island include Billy Strings (Jun. 17); Young The Giant and Milky Chance (Jun. 23); Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Garbage (Jun. 27); Dave Matthews Band (Jul. 7-8); Yellowcard (Jul. 16); Sad Summer Fest (Jul. 21); Slightly Stoopid and Sublime With Rome (Jul. 28); Q101 Piqniq (Jul. 30); Ghost (Aug. 15); Goo Goo Dolls (Aug. 22); 5 Seconds Of Summer (Aug. 23); Dominic Fike (Aug. 24); Beck and Phoenix (Aug. 31); Duran Duran (Sept. 1) and Hozier (Sept. 12). For additional details, visit LiveNation.com.

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