Live Review: Teddy Swims in Australia 2025
29 October 2025 – RAC Arena Perth, Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photo by Bryce Hall (Supplied)
A year ago, Teddy Swims performed at the Riverside Theatre Perth to a capacity crowd of 1800. Commercially, the facially tattooed singer has since skyrocketed to soaring heights, as evident from his sold-out arena tour: three shows in Sydney, two in Brisbane, three at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, and last night’s performance to a capacity crowd of 15,000. Simply put, Teddy Swims could have taken this Australian leg to a stadium tour, all thanks to his out-of-the-world vocals.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, the Grammy-nominated artist has released two albums: “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Part 1” and “Part 2.” Unlike his hit “Lose Control,” which took 32 weeks to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 – a record for the longest climb to the top – Teddy’s ascent has been rapid.
Even if some Australians hadn’t heard of Teddy last year, they would have seen his performance at the NRL Grand Final.
The start of the concert is the opposite of a curtain raiser – literally. As the lights dimmed, music played behind the stage drape building the drama. Then the curtain dropped revealing the stage set up. Teddy graced the stage before settling on the left side, standing high on a plate under a spotlight, apart from his seven-piece band. Looking like the Spudshed king (IYKYK), he wore desert boots, shorts, a cap, and a vest over his bare chest. My plus one for the night, Jesse James said, “Geez, I wish I could dress like that at work!”
“It’s the best damn country in the world,” Teddy declared.
He opened with “Not Your Man” from his latest album, released earlier this year. The song’s theme of unrequited love was well told; his soaring vocals personified the pain that speared through the hearts of the entire arena including its blue walls. When Teddy sang, it felt as though everyone was sharing his anguish, but also in his acquiescence.
The mood shifted to gospel as he waltzed down the stairs at the back of the stage, captivating everyone with his extraordinary voice. He wasn’t out of the emotional woods yet, as “Hammer to the Heart” followed, a track as heart-wrenching as expected. The pain was visible in his countenance and in his vocals.
“Thank you so much for being the last stop on this run (the Australian leg of the tour…these are my best friends in the world, my band,” he said.
There were tender moments, such as when he dedicated “All That It Really Matters” to the woman who carried their child for nine months, and “Small Hands” to his baby.
There were mini entrances, including the one that included the sound of bells and a projected message: “My heart was telling me something. I wasn’t listening to myself at all.” We are now in the second part of the show. The warm, mellow, slightly vintage tone of “Bad Dreams” brought a dreamy 70s soul vibe, sipped in. Teddy changed into a classic Australian stockman look – a long trench coat and an Akubra hat. All that is missing is a whip.
The visuals were impressive, especially during “Northern Lights,” where the stage lights mimicked the aurora’s colors. There were playful moments, too, like when Teddy sat on a dunny during “Your Kind of Crazy.”
He regularly engaged the crowd by signing autographs. He got a young fan to pick a paper from a hat, then spun a digital wheel to “randomly” select the next song. “Still the One,” a Shania Twain cover, was chosen. Somehow, we knew that would be the case. That night, 15,000 fans appointed themselves as back up singers. Throughout the show, Teddy poured his heart into every song, but this one stood out for its universal appeal, especially for couples sharing their first dance.
It’s hard to pick a single favorite moment, but perhaps the most memorable was when the electric piano signaled the start of “Lose Control.” The crowd fell silent, fully absorbed in the breakthrough song. From the opening note to the final song, “The Door.” In fact, most of the night, the crowd fell into silence mode. Not because of the boredom, rather to absorb the powerful vocals.
Analysing every song would be an honour, but what stood out was his effortless transition between tender falsettos and powerful belts. The sincerity, vulnerability, and sheer vocal power was a masterclass display.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Frontier Touring and Teddy Swims for the Media tickets
About the writer: The founder of Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to more than 200 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK and Suzi Quatro with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Roxette, Tina Arena, UB40, Delta Goodrem, Leo Sayer and Tina Arena on social media. He has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro, Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 70 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
