Outta Georgia, Teddy Swims is much a man in and of the moment.
Rolling in to Aotearoa this week with his stellar band, Swims performed the second of two NZ shows to a packed-out Spark Arena in Auckland last night, bringing together young and old for an inspired show, winning hearts, minds and much more.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Teddy Swims, on the outside looks a bit like he just got out of prison. Internally a big cuddly bear, maybe.
Swims’ cross-over capability has merged musical genres to a masterful formula, with a voice as much Country as it is Soul, moving him swiftly into the mainstream Pop realm. He was here and so were the people.
Opening in support, youngsters Borderline from right here in Tāmaki Makaurau impressed with their contemporary mix of Pop tunes.
Mature for their teen years, the lads played with competence, delivering a strong bracket of super-catchy songs.
Vocalist Ben Glanfield has accessible pipes, and along with Matt McFadden (guitar), Max Harries (bass) and Jackson Boswell (drums) they are sure to impress on their upcoming US tour. The kids are def alright.
Lights. Camera. Action! And it was all that when Teddy Swims struck up the band.
With a stage dressing resembling something akin to a Motown Soul Revue for the first half of the show, Swims led his 8-piece strong band into Not Your Man, with flames igniting to boot.
Country, Soul, R’N’B, Pop, Gospel – it’s all in his music and voice, and perhaps the reason why Swims has connected with a wider audience. He’s risen to stardom in a capitulated short space of time, since posting covers on YouTube in 2019.
Giving lots of praise to the audience, Swims noted Auckland’s embrace of his music to help him rise.
Swims group is at Grammy awards night house-band standard. A wailing lead guitarist, top notch rhythm section, and three-pronged backing vocalists who took turns with duets and soloing, they enhanced Swims performance to another level.
Signing albums, posters, hats and tees in bulk and singing seamlessly, it was questionable whether Swims was syncing. No way, he’s as real as they come.
Mentioning immense gratitude for his partner and three-month old son, both here with him tonight, Auckland became the first stamp in his bubba’s passport. Singing Small Hands, Swims shed a few tears. I’m such a big pussy, he gulped afterwards.
While the band were delivering immaculately at note-perfect value, Swims cheekily ran his fingers across the keyboard, proving to be a larrikin, and showing music is a playground after all.
With Guilty – a jukebox backdrop parodied a selection of classic album covers. Flicking through and pausing on modified covers with references to Swims as follows. Kraftwerk’s Man Machine, Hounds of Love Kate Bush, Murmur R.E.M., Doolittle the Pixies and Chronic Dr Dre to name a few.
A random selection off the jukebox selected by fans unearthed You’re Still the One by Shania Twain, sung and performed to poetic justice.
Swims kept revving the mood up and going through the gears, talking about his journey and therapy which he did try, and recommends heartache, loss, rebirth.
Right now, he’s in a great place. By the time he got to the epic Lose Control, there was a sense of grandness and timelessness. Well, it’s cracking over 2 billion streams on Spotify, that’s up there, right?
Encoring Bed on Fire, Goodbye’s Been Good to You and of course the music of the moment – The Door.
Teddy Swims, you beauty! You have officially lessened the gap and won out a tonne more fans!
Mike Beck
Photos by Azrie Azizi
Teddy Sims photo gallery
Borderline opened the show – here’s a gallery of photos.
Teddy Swims Setlist
Not Your Man
Hammer To the Heart
Apple Juice
She Loves the Rain
Are You Even Real
Devil In a Dress
Bad Dreams
Free Drugs
Funeral
What More Can I Say
911
Need You More
Black & White
Small Hands
All That Really Matters
Some Things I’ll Never Know
Northern Lights
Guilty
God Went Crazy
You’re Still the One
Your Kind of Crazy
Lose Control
Bed On Fire
Goodbye’s Been Good to You
The Door