Live Review: Teddy Swims – 7th March 2025 – Wembley Arena, London, UK
6 min read
It was another night at another mind-blowing show for us here at Renowned For Sound last night as we ventured over to Wembley Arena to catch the second of two back to back sold out shows from US Lose Control superstar, Teddy Swims as the star continues to enjoy his skyrocketing popularity since emerging from YouTube stardom in 2023 with debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy.
Renowned For Sound reviewer, Robert caught Swims perform as part of his 2024 tour to promote the first part of his I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy project at the much smaller Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith only a few months back, but it was a first time for myself to catch the wonder that is Teddy Swims live. Going into the show I was very much expecting to come out a couple of hours later impressed – I knew that from the gushing previous show review. I didn’t quite expect to be as blown away as I was with the two hours that Swims dominated the Wembley stage – making every fan in the crowd lap up a stellar set of meaty, guitar-wielding hits including the catchy opener, I’m Not Your Man giving an early indication of the powerful performance we were all about to be witness to as he strutted the giant Wembley stage with confidence in a floor length coat with LONDON emblazoned across the back and a kilt hiding beneath.
The stage was dressed impressively with the singers talented band and trio of skilled backing singers taking their positions at a little after 9pm and the giant curtain that kept the set semi-disguised falling to the floor and revealing a brightly lit up stage design. An elevated walking platform was occasionally used by Swims who would make his way up and down the walkway to deliver some of the big numbers during the show. Devil in a Dress and the infectious, Funeral were visual feasts as each came hand in hand with periodic pyrotechnic explosions or bursts of flames as if we were at some sort of stadium metal show, while he playfully delivered the opening of Your Kind of Crazy sat on a toilet and belting through the 60’s scented Motown inspired slow jam while his backing singers helped propel the song with their perfectly delivered harmonies.
As a giant circular stage prop hovered above the stage and radiated shades of orange over the warm orange dressed stage design below, the set carried a rich Motown feel to it and the singers delivery of a cover of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Goin’ On during an audience selection segment nearing the end of the show seemed only fitting to the set. This also paid tribute to the singers early years delivering YouTube videos to his initial fanbase before hitting the commercial fame bigtime with his first 2023 record which was quickly followed up by Part 2 of the record. That record also produced some of the highlights of last nights show including spectacular live renditions of the beautiful Northern Lights with the stage lit up in multi colours lights and the green waves of the Northern Lights cast upon the giant screens and a fully-charged offering of Hammer To The Heart.
Between the songs, Swims wore his heart firmly on his sleeve as he often detailed his personal journey dealing with heartbreak and dealing with the pain that comes from that. Along side lifting anecdotes, the bearded musician also did this through highly emotional and biographical songs including a moving, piano-led Some Things I’ll Never Know which he explained is about never finding the answers from those that leave your life – his crisp, soulful vocals washing over the Wembley crowd and even causing several members of the crowd to be seen wiping their cheeks from being caught up in the heart jerker as the singer “when did your heart let me go? I guess some things I’ll never know” with pure conviction.
Playfully acting on his big cuddly teddy bear image, visuals also played into that persona, especially during a comical performance of Guilty where a jukebox listing of albums displayed on the screens and turned to reveal different famous records that have been released over the years as he charged his way through one of the highlight hits of the night and one of the best numbers to emerge from his latest collection.
Evidently a very tight unit when it comes to Teddy and his touring band, the singer periodically and very genuinely gushed over his backing band – especially his backing singers who he generously placed into the well deserved spotlight for duets including Are You Even Real and Black & White. The latter of those he dedicated to anyone in love and explained that love knows no limits including race or gender, solidifying the musician as an LGBT ally and one that is a voice of equality. This was met with a massive applause from the pumped up and loved up crowd – many of who would have their lanyards or CD’s signed by the singer on stage during performances of his songs as they were handed to him but a security guard throughout the set – some lucky enough to have their phone taken by Swims for a selfie during a number.
Declaring to the crowd that the moment they were waiting for had arrived, the singer delivered a truly mesmerizing performance of 1.6billion streamed hit, Lose Control to a crowd already severely weak at the knees from the last near two-hour stage time that Swims absolutely owned. The punchy chorus of the smash hit and breakthrough hit for Swims was delivered to a stadium worthy level – every hair on my arms lifting as he hit those god-like notes with such precision and ease. Absolutely astounding!
To even label Swims as a soul or country singer would be to do the singer as severe disservice. His vocal skills are something really quite extraordinary and branch effortlessly across so many contrasting genres. The show contained elements we have seen in heavy metal performances from the likes of Metallica and his voices jumps so effortlessly between pop and rock to country, soul and gospel in a way we have not heard from an artist before. And we have been to quite a few shows in our years. Last nights performance was something on another level to most past and present – from an artist unlike any other. Last nights show not just made me a fan of Swims but a devoted follower of the US vocal superstar!
Setlist:
Not Your Man
Hammer to the Heart
Apple Juice
She Loves the Rain
Are You Even Real
Devil in a Dress
Bad Dreams
It Ain’t Easy
Funeral
What More Can I Say
911
Black & White
If You Ever Change Your Mind
All That Really Matters
Some Things I’ll Never Know
Northern Lights
Guilty
Tell Me
What’s Goin’ On (Marvin Gaye cover)
Your Kind of Crazy
Lose Control
Encore:
Bed on Fire
Goodbye’s Been Good to You
The Door
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
