On Saturday night, Brisbanites poured into the Brisbane Entertainment Centre as the season’s first summer storm rolled overhead. The forecourt descended into semi-chaos as hundreds of fans battled the pelting rain at the open-air entrances. However, not even the rain could dampen the excitement for American phenom Teddy Swims.
The musician’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of staggering. First capturing attention through viral YouTube covers, Swims has since carved out his own soulful lane. Melding R&B, rock, and pop into some of the biggest songs on the planet, his breakout hit “Lose Control” (now the longest-charting song in Billboard Hot 100 history) cemented his place as a global force.
His blend of soul, showmanship, and sincerity was on full display in Brisbane, where young and old alike came ready to sing every word.
Opening the night was Australian favourite Matt Corby, whose effortlessly angelic voice filled the cavernous venue with grace. Dressed in a backwards cap, white shirt, and jeans, he looked casual but sounded transcendent. His vocals soared through the darkened arena as phones lit up to capture the moment on “Resolution” and “Brother”. Between songs, Corby was understated and quietly grateful, slightly dwarfed by the towering stage setup hidden behind the curtain for Swims’ headline set.
Then, at 9 p.m., the house lights dropped and the energy shifted. A hip-hop medley pulsed through the speakers as “Jump Around” by House of Pain ignited movement across the arena. A towering curtain fell to reveal Swims’ band launching into an explosive instrumental jam at the base of a tall, snaking runway. A blinding flash of pyrotechnics fired in sequence, and Swims appeared atop the LED lit staircase. Draped in a robe and red glasses, and illuminated in a single spotlight, the roar that met him was deafening.
Swims launched into “Not Your Man” and “Hammer to the Heart” with minimal pause, stopping only to throw a cheeky nod to the home crowd. “How about them Broncos, man?” drew a roar of approval. Quipping on his opener, “Round of applause for my favourite artist, Matt Corby. He’s so dreamy”.
Throughout the night Swims also allowed his band to shine, sharing duets with his three backup singers, and giving each of the instrumentalists plenty of time in the sun. Bringing the crowd along for the ride, during “She Loves the Rain”, a fan proposal unfolded mid-song, earning a heartfelt “Congrats, y’all!” from Swims himself.
The show’s production was also immense. Midway through, the giant LED screens flashed with digital lightning as fog poured across the stage, pyrotechnics bursting in rhythm. Swims vanished beneath the stage, only to re-emerge moments later in shorts and a cowboy hat, grinning like a showman reborn. Yet beneath all the spectacle, he remained disarmingly genuine. Before “Small Hands” he spoke softly about his son and even announced a gender reveal for a couple in the crowd. His voice remained it’s trademark best. Equal parts gravel and honey, the man also carries a tenderness that contrasts beautifully with the show’s explosive theatrics. Beneath the eccentrics, the tattoos and showmanship lies an artist of deep emotional clarity.
A slower section later in the night offered a welcome reprieve before a rousing cover of Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” sparked a singalong, slow dances, and a few tears across the arena. Predictably, “Lose Control” drew the loudest screams of the night, with thousands belting every word back at him.
Disappearing momentarily, Swims returned for a three-part encore to cap off a 25-song set delivered at breakneck pace. While a few of the less devoted trickled toward the exits, the vast majority of the 13,000-strong crowd stayed glued in place. Swims tore through “Bed on Fire”, “Goodbye’s Been Good to You” and “The Door”, closing the night in a blaze of pyrotechnics and confetti.
Teddy Swims is, above all else, a showman. His one of a kind voice is equal parts gospel soul and whisky neat grit. Yet it’s his calming presence and gratitude that makes the man infinitely likeable. And of course, the songs. These songs would still soar if stripped to just an acoustic guitar and a bar stool, but the full-scale production turns them into something utterly cinematic, best experienced at 120db with a few thousand friends. Between the lights, the crowd, and the palpable love in the room, there was a communal celebration that defied any one demographic.
If you needed any reason to try and snag a ticket, I leave you with this. At the start of the night, a woman in front of me checked her phone for resale tickets to the Sunday show. Somewhere in the forty-five minutes later, stuck in the post-show car park traffic, I was doing the exact same thing.
If you can get a ticket, find yourself at the nearest Teddy Swims show you can. You won’t regret it.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended 19/10 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane. The tour continues throughout Australia – head HERE for tickets
Header image credit: Marie Vogel
