Alex Warren brings “Finding Family On The Road” to Phoenix for an emotional, unforgettable night

Ashley O’Mara

Alex Warren’s success story has been anything but “ordinary.” The beloved track, released in February of 2025, has amassed nearly 2 billion streams on Spotify alone, and took the singer from sold out rooms at venues like Phoenix’s The Van Buren to sold out arenas in just one year. The singer-songwriter recently wrapped the first leg of his tour in the UK/EU, and on May 25, Warren kicked off the North American leg of “Finding Family on the Road” in Nashville. On June 5, just one day short of a year since Warren made his Arizona debut at The Van Buren, he brought his tour to a sold-out crowd at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, AZ. Supporting Warren on the first half of this leg is Nat & Alex Wolff.

Nat & Alex Wolff kicked off the evening, bringing a seven-song set of pop-rock tunes to an already packed arena. The duo of brothers released their fourth full length album in January and treated the audience to tracks from that record, including “Tough,” “If You Never Left Me,” and “Soft Kissing Hour,” which was produced by Billie Eilish and features her vocals. The duo engaged well with the crowd, calling out members of the crowd and going down to the barricade on multiple occasions, keeping the audience thoroughly entertained. In the first of many heartfelt moments of the evening, the brothers shared of their father’s journey with cancer before performing “All My Plans (Shake),” a track that they dedicated to anyone in the crowd who has been touched by cancer. In a lighter moment, the duo, who are well known for starring in Nickelodeon’s “The Naked Brothers Band,” performed a song from the show, titled “Crazy Car,” that had been written by Nat at just 6 years old. The duo wrapped their set with an energetic performance of “Glue” which had the entire crowd on their feet dancing along. Nat & Alex Wolff will be on the road with Alex Warren through June 21. Make sure to arrive early to catch their set!

The shift in the room’s energy was palpable as Nat & Alex Wolff took their exit, and a massive floor-to-ceiling curtain descended, obscuring the stage as the crew prepared for the main event. The curtain also served as a projection screen and would be used throughout the night to display videos. As the crowd eagerly awaited Alex Warren‘s entrance, a promotional video for WILDCHILD, his forthcoming sophomore album, announced just two days earlier, played across the curtain, further building anticipation throughout the venue. Featuring a humorous collection of bloopers and outtakes, the video also revealed a special perk for concertgoers: exclusive access to a tour-only vinyl variant of the album, complete with unique packaging not available elsewhere. The crowd was singing along to the playlist as it cut out and “Dancing Queen” took over the speakers. The room collectively burst into song, dancing along as the tour logo faded from the curtain and gave way to a montage of home videos from Warren’s childhood, all narrated by his late father. The tour’s title had already suggested that the evening would be an emotional journey, but this intimate glimpse into Warren’s early life reinforced that expectation. Warren has long been candid about the loss of both of his parents, and seeing these moments that were captured during a time that they were still together was deeply moving.

The video montage ended, and Warren’s band appeared in silhouette behind the curtain. Moments later, the stage was revealed, sparks flying as Warren emerged from beneath it and launched into the evening’s opening track, “Troubled Waters.” From there, he moved through tracks including “The Outside,” “First Time On Earth,” and “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” from his debut album. The evening quickly established itself as an emotional rollercoaster, seamlessly shifting from laughter to tears and back again.

Throughout the night, Warren took time to address the crowd, and his personality shined brightest during these unscripted moments. He interacted directly with fans, reading signs, answering questions, and complimenting concertgoers on their creative costumes. One young fan held a sign explaining that she had broken out of the hospital following an organ transplant to attend the show and wanted to know if she could press “the button.” Each night, one lucky fan is selected to press the button that triggers a massive confetti blast. Warren immediately promised she would get the honor and made sure her friend, another young fan, was included in the interaction as well. His engagement with the audience felt genuine and personal, really standing out even among the many concerts I’ve attended.

The audience was also treated to a performance of Warren’s brand-new single, “PASSENGER,” released earlier that same day. The track is an undeniable earworm, impossible not to dance to, and it had the entire arena on its feet. As he transitioned into “Eternity,” Warren shared that he sings the song as loudly as he can each night in the hope that his parents can hear him, encouraging the audience to do the same for someone they have lost.

More home videos played as Warren made his way to the B-stage for a stripped-back portion of the set. This montage began with footage of Warren and his siblings before transitioning to more recent clips of Warren and his wife recording a similar-style video message to their future children. Along the route, he stopped to greet fans, high-fiving as many as possible. One interaction, however, stopped him in his tracks. A fan held a sign explaining that he had known Warren’s father and that the two had been fraternity brothers. Warren paused to reflect on the significance of moments like that.

“It’s cool to meet people who knew my parents,” he said before opening up about losing his father at nine years old and the lifelong process of learning to navigate grief. He spoke candidly about how people often told him it would get better, but that, in his experience, grief never truly disappears — it simply becomes more manageable. He shared how, for years, he avoided talking about his father because he wanted to forget the pain, only to realize that doing so also meant losing precious memories.

Looking around the arena, Warren asked audience members who had lost someone to raise their hands. Nearly every section of the venue responded. It was one of the most powerful moments of the evening. Warren spoke about his belief that people die twice: once when they pass away and again when their stories stop being told. Through his music, videos, and live performances, he has made it his mission to keep those stories alive.

Before introducing an unreleased song titled “Same Stars,” Warren asked the crowd to put their phones away and simply be present. There was not a dry eye in the house. The raw honesty of his words resonated deeply, and all around the arena people could be seen embracing loved ones and wiping away tears. During this emotional section of the set, Warren performed “Catch My Breath,” “Same Stars,” “Heaven Without You,” and “FINE PLACE TO DIE” before making his way back to the main stage, once again greeting fans along the route.

Warren’s personality shined throughout the night, and his vocals sounded every bit as powerful and polished as they do on record. As the setlist neared its conclusion, he performed “Save You A Seat” and “Burning Down” before inviting the young transplant recipient and her friend onstage to finally press the button. Confetti erupted across the arena as he closed the main set with “FEVER DREAM.”

Warren returned moments later for a one-song encore of “Ordinary,” the hit that has propelled him from theaters to arenas in just a year’s time. As the song drew to a close, he made his way back to the B-stage while another home video played. This final clip featured Warren and his siblings as children, with their father congratulating them on a great concert before telling them to take a bow. As the video ended, the spotlight returned to Warren, who stood amid a fresh sea of confetti and took a bow of his own, a perfectly fitting conclusion to a night centered on family, loss, love, and perseverance.

As fans streamed out of the arena, “Eternity” was playing on the street and voices could be heard for blocks singing along in unison. Warren had earlier encouraged the audience to sing loudly enough for the people they had lost to hear them, and as the crowd carried the song out into the Phoenix night, there was little doubt those loved ones heard every word.

“Finding Family On The Road” is a tour you won’t want to miss. If the tour is coming to your city, be sure to check it out! Tickets can be purchased here.

REMAINING FINDING FAMILY ON THE ROAD NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:
Saturday, June 13 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sunday, June 14 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Wednesday, June 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Friday, June 19 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center
Sunday, June 21 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
Tuesday, June 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Thursday, June 25 – Atlanta GA – State Farm Arena
Friday, June 26 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Saturday, June 27 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
Monday, June 29 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Thursday, July 2 – Minneapolis, MN – Grand Casino Arena
Friday, July 3 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Sunday, July 5 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Tuesday, July 7 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
Wednesday, July 8 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Friday, July 10 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
Saturday, July 11 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavillion
Monday, July 13 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Wednesday, July 15 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden