On the picturesque summer night of August 31st, Quinn XCII (pronounced Quinn ninety-two) shifted the EDM narrative of Brooklyn Mirage to experimental hip-hop pop. While the Mirage wouldn’t be the typical host for Quinn’s self-established genre of music, the wrap-around screens and pristine sound system served his performance well. Michael Temrowski, stage name Quinn XCII, has been making music since 2011 when he was a student at Michigan State. From college house parties to venues like Red Rocks and the Brooklyn Mirage, Quinn XCII has established a loyal fanbase.
As the sun rolled overhead the outdoor amphitheater, Quinn fans filled the venue. Quinn XCII’s crowd was made up of out of office sorority presidents and Manhattan finance bros who just can’t seem to let go of the glory days. Even Temrowski himself tweeted, “I make music for guys that make awful parlay bets,” “I make music for east coast lacrosse teams,” “I make music for girls who make emotional montages of their last high school field hockey season.” Needless to say the audience was friendly as can be, and they weren’t scared to party. It was like hanging out with that college friend group you can’t part ways with, in the best way.
Openers Stay Over and Skizzy Mars, a New York City native, revved up the crowd. It seemed that Quinn wanted to uphold the experimental artists, to pay tribute to their creativity and brave approach to navigating the music industry. Stay Over put on a show blended with rock and hip-hop, two very loud and vocal genres. Skizzy Mars also dabbled in hip-hop with a more indie flair. Both of their sounds were celebrated by the audience.
When 10:30 PM rolled around, the lights dimmed and the bass amplified. As soon as Quinn XCII stepped foot on stage, confetti cannons showered the fans in an endless spill of rainbows. People cheered and through their hands up, letting the paper wash over their faces. His most recent hit single, “Georgia Peach,” got the crowd grooving.
The setlist was a culmination of old and new music, sort of a “best of Quinn XCII” kind of performance. The audience welcomed each phase on stage with nostalgia induced excitement. Songs dating back to 2015 got the audience just as loud as his latest releases. As notes from the past wove through his set, Quinn’s personal sound was never lost. From “Kings Of Summer” by aokay featuring Quinn XCII to “The Lows,” featuring Big Sean, his reggae influenced and rap driven style remained.
Before his song, “My Wife & 2 Dogs,” Quinn stopped the show to give respect to his beloved french bulldog, Nelson, who had to be put to rest that day. Emotions were heavy on stage and respected in the audience. Each word to the song was sung from Quinn’s heart and from the chest of everyone in the audience. Behind him on stage, was a video montage of Nelson and his other pup.
For one of Quinn’s newer releases, “The Lows,” New York City artist Blu DeTiger joined him on stage to play bass. With her blue sparkly bass guitar, mini-skirt, and stomper boots, Blu added a whole other energy to the song. She tossed her lengthy blonde hair back as she headbanged to Quinn’s catchy beat. The crowd received her rock addition with vim.
Quinn XCII has been around for a lot of listeners since their grade school days. To grow up with an artist is a very intimate experience. To listen to Quinn as an adult is like getting a second chance at growing up again in your twenties. His music normalizes the wide spectrum of human emotions felt while in serious relationships, during inevitable change and stagnancy, and even while getting high in the back of your high school girlfriend’s car. The show at Brooklyn Mirage was a celebration of being alive and figuring it out.
As the show came to a close, the audience chanted for an encore before Quinn was able to leave the stage. He exited the stage, but the lights darkened to a deep blue. Before everyone knew it, Quinn was back singing his first encore song, “Always Been You.” The next song, “Another Day In Paradise,” was another crowd favorite from one of Quinn’s most esteemed records, “Change Of Scenery.” Before he started to sing, he spoke sentimentally to the crowd about being present: “The good shit, the bad shit – nothing is permanent, let it pass…”
Quinn XCII wrapped his show with one of his youngest songs, “Candle.” His original fans bounced on their feet and swayed their arms the entire song, almost as a wave goodbye. The confetti went off once more before the show wrapped. Quinn XCII at the mirage was the perfect summer send off. As the confetti settled and Quinn and his band took a bow, the night ended on a good note.
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