Shwayze, The Quasi Kings, Twin Fin
Space Ballroom
Hamden
Nov. 19, 2025
“It’s a little cold,” said Robbie Kelly, lead singer and guitarist of Twin Fin, as the band hit the stage Wednesday night at Space Ballroom. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the room to heat up for the Honolulu-based rock band’s first show in Connecticut, as they opened for Shwayze’s The Wasted Sunset tour.
Twin Fin’s command of the stage was clear as Robbie slid and kicked his away through sing-along-ready jams like “When She’s Drinkin’,” “Mango,” and “Cherry Bomb.” Their blend of beach/surf rock with a splash of reggae and a country western twist lifted the mood higher and higher. The crowd and the band were feeding off each other’s euphoric energy.
Their newest song, “Land of Plenty” — with the melancholy lyrics “I keep my eyes wide open and my head hung low/ I didn’t know I had a cup so empty/ I work and I reap what I sow/ but I keep on starving in the land of plenty” — had a soothing groove that made the crowd want more by the time Twin Fin left the stage.
The second act, The Quasi Kings, hailing from Columbus, Ohio, said they were musically raised by St. Lucians, The Ark Band, to be exact. Their music mixed reggae, rock and hip-hop. They performed the songs “Maybe” and “All I Wanna Hear,” covering the themes of life enlightenment and (hopefully) requited love. The group also performed its first new song in three years, “Sunday Morning Cartoons.” The crowd vibed to the nostalgic lyrics: “I’m waking up and you’re not there/ find the girl with the brown eyes and the brown hair/ and I swear it’s been better than this/ yes, I swear it’s been better than this/ give me those Sunday morning cartoons/ give me everything that I never want to lose.”
Playing his well-worn saxophone, lead singer and percussionist Zach Coleman dropped to his knees several times as if overcome by the weight of the music.
Then it was time for the main man himself – Shwayze. On a sparse stage, backed by a masterful drummer, the rapper took his mix of reggae-rock to new heights. Literally. At one point, people were sending joints onto the stage for him; he was kind enough to share with the crowd. “It ain’t fun if the homies can’t have none,” he laughed.
The weed seemed to fuel Shwayze as, framed by clouds of smoke, he was a dervish with a dynamic stage presence and a captivatingly smooth flow. You definitely believed him as he sang-rapped, “It’s a straight from the bottle type feeling/ my whole life is a seven-day weekend” from the song “7 Day Weekend.” “Drunk Off Your Love” was another highlight. The West Coast was definitely in the building as he performed the songs “California Day” and “Slice of Sunshine,” filling Space with the spirit of a leisurely drive on the PCH on a sun-drenched day.
The energy on stage surged once Twin Fin joined Shwayze for their ode to the good life, “Floatin’.” Robbie and Shwayze danced together as cups in the audience were raised high in their honor. Standing in for Shwayze’s partner, Cisco Adler, Twin Fin performed a few more songs with Shwayze. Then they dropped the mics, and everyone left the stage without fanfare.
The audience was not going to let Shwayze leave without performing his biggest hit. After screams of “Encore! Encore!” Shwayze and Twin Fin ran back to the stage to perform “Buzzin’.” Everywhere you looked people were rapturously dancing like nobody was watching.
