November 21st was the most alive I’ve ever seen El Cid. After all, a legendary band known for putting on a show was headlining that night. This band, known as Qbomb, filled up El Cid, and you could tell how excited fans were just by looking at the merch table.

Qbomb had the crowd hooked from the very beginning of their set. There were smiles everywhere you looked and an audience constantly in motion. The kind of cheers you’d expect at the end of a set were already present at the start. Multiple times, Qbomb's lead singer, Gene, jumped into the crowd, getting everyone moving and dialing up the energy.

Their setlist included "Ignition", "Exhaustion Engine", "Afterburn", "Everything Is Fine", "Soften the Grave", "LWYMMD" (a Taylor Swift cover), "1,000,000AD", "Fall Apart", and "Terminal Patience". Their music blends various genres like punk, rap, and pop, while also weaving in pop culture influences such as anime and video games. If you grew up alt, watched cartoons, and are self-aware about today’s societal problems, you’ll love Qbomb.

I thought it was really cool that one of the band members dressed as Mothman, and another played a keyboard guitar. Everyone on stage looked like they were having so much fun. During "Look What You Made Me Do", they brought out a special guest who played the accordion, even giving them a casual shoutout by swapping a lyric in the song—a fun detail to catch. It was one of the best Taylor Swift covers I’ve ever seen.

Qbomb also has a great sense of humor, making them a band that will have you laughing too. One moment that stuck with me was when Gene spoke about being outraged by the current state of the world—a sentiment many of us can relate to—but also reminded us that there’s still a lot of hope out there. That moment filled me with strength and the resolve to keep fighting, a feeling I’m sure others in the crowd shared.

Every Qbomb song paints a vivid story. The lyrics are powerful and hit hard. We even got to hear music from Qbomb that they hadn’t ever performed yet until that moment. "Soften the Grave" and their unreleased music resonated with me the most. It’s also cool that multiple band members sing; their sound wouldn’t be the same without each member’s contribution. You never know what to expect from a Qbomb set, which is why it’s impossible not to have a good time. Even when El Cid had to cut the set short, the crowd cheered for an encore and stayed long after the venue tried to usher everyone out.

It was one of those unforgettable nights, surrounded by one of the friendliest communities I’ve seen in the music scene. I’m sure the fanbase would have stayed even if the set had lasted two hours. It’s also a great place to meet people who love animation—some of us even struck JoJo poses outside! If you haven’t checked out Qbomb yet, there’s no better time than now. I’m excited to see them rise to greater heights and the impact they’ll continue to have on their community.