Teddy Swims • August 28, 2025 • The Plaza at America First Field
Reviewed and Photographed by Austin Dayton
On a warm late August evening in Sandy, Utah, Teddy Swims stepped onto the stage at the Plaza at America First Field. They transformed an ordinary Thursday night into something that felt like a close-knit community gathering. Touring on the I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy part 2 – the follow-up to his breakthrough 2023 record – Teddy Swims once again proved that he’s not just a singer with a crazy range, but also a storyteller who sings with every ounce of soul.
Cian Ducrot
From the moment Swims opened his set, his voice filled the open-air plaza with his signature combination of grit and grace. Thankfully, the crowd was ready, as they had just been introduced to an opening artist, Cian Ducrot, who seemed to have just come from the Teddy Swims school of unworldly vocals. Ducrot was able to connect with the audience on a deeply personal level while singing about hurt, loss, pain, and love. All with a voice that was only second to what was about to come.
Teddy Swims
The Utah crowd was already buzzing before Teddy Swims ever set foot on stage. The late August summer seemed to be the cherry on top, making the outdoor concert feel magical, and the plaza was a perfect space for that magic. As the sun began to disappear into the mountains, the lights shifted, and suddenly the anticipation broke into a roar.
From the start, Swims had the audience in his hand. He came out swinging with his calm energy, but it was “Apple Juice” early in the set that flipped the switch for the audience. By the first chorus, people who’d never met seemed to be new best friends, grinning, and singing every word like it had been written just for them. Seemly turning the venue into a family reunion, it wasn’t just a performance—it was a connection.
Looking out across the crowd, Teddy was able to draw in a crowd of all ages and backgrounds, all gathered to be in the presence of the gatherer Teddy Swims. As he addressed his people, you could really feel the connection and love. That love was reciprocated as someone from the crowd handed a handmade cowboy hat that Teddy immediately donned.
Not long after, he changed gears and slipped into “Are You Even Real.” The difference was striking. The plaza, which had just been bouncing with energy, suddenly fell quiet. You could feel the shift, like everyone collectively leaned in. A few thousand voices still joined softly on the chorus, but it wasn’t rowdy—it was reverent. Without realizing it, everyone seemed to forget that they were at a pop concert. It felt like therapy set to music, the kind of moment you don’t forget.
Just when the crowd was lost in their feelings, Teddy reeled everyone back in with “Devil in a Dress.” The swagger in that song is undeniable, and he delivered it with so much southern soul that it felt almost church-like. Fans shouted the lyrics back at him, waving their hands, dancing in the aisles. It wasn’t polished in the way some concerts try to be—it was messy, loud, and joyful, and that made it perfect.
Though Teddy has tens of millions of monthly listeners ( 50 million on Spotify alone), he has never shied away from his roots as a cover artist. During the show, he took some time to pay tribute to that fact and had a random song generator put up on screen. “You’re Still the One” Shania Twain was selected as if you didn’t know any better, you would have thought it was one of his own. With the same passion and love put into his originals.
Though known for those covers, nothing compared to the eruption that came with “Lose Control.” That’s the song that took Teddy Swims from covers to sitting on global charts for one hundred weeks straight, and hearing it live was a different experience entirely. The second those opening notes hit, people jumped to their feet, screaming, dancing, completely losing themselves. This was the kind of moment you can’t fake or rehearse.
For the encore, Swims flipped the energy on its head again. He returned to the stage, guitar in hand, and played “Goodbye’s Been Good to You.” It was fragile, almost hesitant, and it froze the audience in place. Nobody moved, nobody talked—it felt like the entire plaza was holding its breath. That’s the kind of silence only a true artist can command. And then, without warning, he brought the night to its peak with “God Went Crazy.” The song exploded with passion and left the crowd absolutely buzzing as the lights finally dimmed.
What stood out most about the architecture of the show was how simple the production was. In a time when so many tours lean on elaborate visuals, Swims kept it stripped back. The lighting was moody and purposeful, the band was always there but never overbearing, and every element was designed to leave space for the songs. And honestly, with a voice like his, nothing more was needed.
But more than the voice, more than the near-perfect setlist, it was the feeling of connection that stuck. This wasn’t just a concert—it felt like communion. People weren’t just singing along; they were feeling along. You could see it in the way they held each other during the slow songs, or how they screamed with relief during the joyful ones. At times, it felt like Swims wasn’t even performing for the crowd. He was performing with the crowd.
As I walked out into the warm night, I kept overhearing bits of conversation. People weren’t only saying how good he sounded—though that was a given. They were saying things like “I needed that tonight.” That’s the difference. Plenty of artists sound great live, but very few leave people feeling seen and understood. Teddy Swims does. And maybe that’s why his music resonates so deeply right now.
