Alex Warren at T-Mobile Center, Kansas City MO (2026-06-21)

We think this kid will be much more than alright…maybe even extra-ordinary!

California native and singer-songwriter Alex Warren brought his first and highly successful arena tour to downtown Kansas City, and the T-Mobile Center, in support of both his 2025 top 20 full-length debut, You’ll Be Alright, Kid” as well as the upcoming follow-up, “WILDCHILD”.

The evening began with an energetic set from siblings Nat & Alex Wolff, who released their self-titled album in January, and who are best known as actors as well, having starred in the Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band. Headliner Warren popped out for a blink-and-you-missed-him during the mid-tempo “If You Never Left Me” and Nat explained being in boot cast due to heavy jumping on stage in Salt Lake City.

The pair worked well in engaging the crowd and worked in a vintage tune from their show, “Crazy Car,” which Nat confessed to writing at the tender age of eight. This was the brothers’ last of the tour and it seemed they brought some extra energy, even during the quieter moments, like during the Billie Eilish-produced “Soft Kissing Hour” framed by audience cell phone lights swaying back and forth.

“All My Plans (Shake)” was written as inspiration from their father’s (former musical director on the Arsenio Hall Show) extended battle with cancer, and the brothers egged the crowd to go “bonkers crazy” on their last song from their last show of the tour, “Glue.”

Alex Warren is a sharer. He’s managed to turn his own childhood and the adversities faced as a young man, into something communal. In turn, he has encouraged others to share their own experiences, in hopes of showing that no one is alone in their struggles.

That feeling was on display early on, from numerous fan signs held high summarizing their perils, to Warren stopping the show to acknowledge someone or something read, that would catch his eye- from the end of a relationship, to a loss of a loved one, and more. Warren never graduated high school as he pointed out a couple times, but the advice he gave back, seemed wise beyond his years.

The 25-year-old is not taking the moment for granted either – pausing to take in the scope, to breathe in and look around, fully aware he was just playing to a handful of people over two years ago, and not sure if he’d return to these heights of success again (though he did quickly sell out The Midland on his last time in KC).

Despite the meteoric leap to arena status, Warren and hie eight-piece band, plus two background singers, managed to make 13,000 fans seem to attend a more intimate and personal show that the large concrete confines would otherwise make it seem.

The band was framed by an elliptical backdrop which seemed to circle them into the audience further, a large video screen often showed Warren’s old childhood videos from holidays and family events, and a b-stage, near the back soundboard was used for several songs, to better connect with all corners of the venue.

Warren’s father passed away from cancer when he was nine, and his alcoholic mother who made him leave the house to be homeless, died five years ago (thus the named Little Orphan Alex Live Tour) was all mentioned to form the emotional backbone of this tour, but also to reclaim his youth, innocence, and the happier times, that would make him into the person he is today.

The songs themselves are already arena-worthy- large choruses, memorable hooks, and a spirit that often uplifts enough to enter into the realm of praise and worship music – from the opening “Troubled Waters” to the tender “The Outside” where at the end, his wished all fathers and his own, a Happy Father’s Day.

Another endearing highlight of his on-stage persona, was the ability to be honest (sometimes to a fault) as well as embrace the imperfections, reminding the audience that this was real music being played by real people, and knowing he was playing in front of younger people, keeping to correct the profanity when it slipped out.

The stage lighting was well-timed and choreographed, and Warren’s booming, mostly baritone voice has adapted well to the larger venues, sometimes similar to a Hozier and able to carry to the back corners without much seeming effort.

“Eternity” was especially emotional, with Warren saying he hoped he could sing loud enough for his parents to hear, and invited the audience to sing as loud, enough that anyone they lost could also hear them.

For the b-stage (a staging request he called non-negotiable when planning the set up), Warren made his way there to and from, via the main aisles instead of in secret, happily high-fiving and fist-bumping everyone along the way. Warren described “Heaven Without You” as one of his favorite songs, inspired by his wife, and maybe his most vulnerable, which made it ideal to be performed in the unplugged format.

While crowded, the band happily made do on the smaller stage and played to all sides with Warren and band performing the new “Same Stars”, a setlist highlight and due to be on his upcoming album, “WILDCHILD”, out August 28 via Atlantic Records. Other newer songs, “Passenger” and “Fine Place to Die” have all but ensured Warren should have no ‘sophomore slump’ whatsoever, with the upcoming album.

Returning to the main stage, the rest of the show was one positive, high-energy song to another, usually accompanied by a video which complemented the song, such as on “Getaway Car” and “Save you a Seat.”

As the main set wound down, it’s apparently tradition that his wife appears from backstage, to press the ‘button’ that sets off the confetti cannons for the last song, but because it was their last shows and the strong friendship, the Wolff brothers raced back out, happy to do the honors (two costumed girls had their sign request granted to press the button to set off the b-stage confetti at show’s end).

The encore was a single song that said more than a handful would have and was the one that would change his professional life, “Ordinary,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks and spent a record-breaking 16 non-consecutive weeks at number one on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, among many other accolades. Many in the crowd were shoulder to shoulder, singing as loud or louder than Warren and helping to collectively elevate the building.

Chart successes and acclaim may be rewarding, but it’s the honest ability to be human and freely share his own very personal experiences to help show his listeners are also seen and heard and that ability is a unique center of Warren and his music.

The current tour leg is titled ‘Finding Family on the Road’ and that exactly Alex Warren and this show brought to Kansas City.

Photography Note: No local photographers were permitted, and we are to be provided approved Photos for use. The current images are from the audience and of lesser quality. We will update the images, when we receive the provided photos.

NAT & ALEX WOLFF

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