Live Report: Teddy Swims stars at his largest-ever headline show in Malahide Castle

What a view it must be from planes soaring over Malahide to land at Dublin airport. The intense heat of the afternoon has mellowed, as the evening sun casts long shadows over the 20,000 crowding around the stage in anticipation of Teddy Swims' largest ever headline show.

The singer rose to prominence in 2023, with the release of 'Lose Control' , which went viral on Tik Tok. The track peaked at No. 4 in the Irish charts and topped the Billboard Hot 100. Thus, among a number of other accolades, he earned a spot at Electric Picnic in 2024, a 3Olympia show that same year before performing a double header in the 3Arena last year, making him no stranger to the Emerald Isle.

Kicking off the show, Swims struts flamboyantly on stage to an explosive guitar solo, as a satirical documentary critiquing the punk movement that Teddy grew up with, plays over the big screen.

‘The Door’ is the first song of the set.  The arrangement - featuring layered synths, driving bass and bright guitars -  is a  stark contrast to the heavy subject matter, which centres around Teddy saving his own life by leaving an abusive relationship.

He shuns around the stage in camouflage pants, clasping the brass knuckles on his handheld microphone before setting it into a ceramic microphone stand shaped like a woman.

@theteddysimps The absolute best fans out there #teddyswims #livemusic #funny #liveperformance #dublin ♬ original sound - Teddy Swims Content

His style of high-production pop, rooted in R&B and soul, is a beneficiary of the wall of sound that a live band provides. The backing singers, sitting on a leather couch beneath a round-wire dartboard, swathed with mini pride flags, give the arrangements a rich, soulful layer and a cinematic feel.

“This one is for the ladies,” Teddy declares, as he introduces ‘Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman’. The track was released by American country singer Thomas Rhett in 2024, before a cover was recorded by Swims in the same year. Powerful female backing vocals fill the higher frequencies Teddy's baritone leaves vacant, create a dense, sweeping effect reminiscent of Ray Charles and his iconic backing singers, The Raelettes.

‘Mr. Know It All’ evidently draws inspiration from Gotye’s ‘Somebody that I Used to Know’, swapping out the iconic xylophone intro for a similar-ish melody played on plucky guitar.

Teddy has been hinting throughout the performance that there were some technical difficulties behind the scenes, although fans' were visibly relieved to hear Teddy say they would play an extra 20 minutes due to delays with Dart.

“There’s technical difficulties, but they say, ‘hey, can you guys play like 20 minutes longer tonight?’, and we’re like ‘hell yeah we can’,” he declares to a cheering audience. “That’s the best news I've ever heard.”

Filling up the extra time were excellent renditions of Shania Twain’s ‘You’re Still The One’, ‘Jump’ by Van Halen and the Kings of Leon’s ‘Use Somebody.’ The latter displayed Teddy Swim's powerful vocals and depth of range as well as the mechanical prowess of his lead guitarist Jesse Hampton who performed a phenomenal guitar solo.

‘Lose Control’ could be identified as his biggest hit solely based on the hundreds of phones that sweep into the air, as hardcore fans and casual concert-goers alike join forces to sing along.

@caughtondrone #teddyswims #malahide #ireland ♬ original sound - Caughtondrone

As the closing song ensues, an opportune few are collecting beer cups to redeem the two euro deposit. One particular gentleman has collected about 40, making back the cost of his ticket (the system works: after the crowd clears, the field is remarkably clean).

After the final song concludes, Teddy cycles off stage on a three-wheeled bicycle with a googly-eyed frog-themed helmet on his head, apparently not willing to risk the Dart back into town.

Teddy Swims and his backing band delivered a polished set to mark his landmark gig in Malahide. Even the flurry of covers felt like a welcome addition rather than a detour.