Teddy Swims Brings The UGLY Tour to Columbus With Soul, Spectacle, and Plenty of Heart

Photojournalist: Antonina Schubert

From the moment the first notes filled Nationwide Arena, it was clear Columbus was in for a night that was about much more than just hearing Teddy Swims sing. The UGLY Tour brought together massive production, powerhouse vocals, plenty of humor, and an artist who made a packed arena feel surprisingly personal.

This was my first time seeing Teddy Swims live, and even knowing just how powerful his voice is from his studio recordings, I still wasn't quite prepared for how incredible he sounds in person.

Actually, he might sound even better live.

Before Teddy even appeared, a member of his team came onto the stage dressed as a janitor, sweeping the floor with a broom before slowly becoming the night's unofficial hype man. He danced, sang along to the music playing through the arena, encouraged the crowd to join in, and had the people around me cracking up at his antics.

It was the perfect way to get everyone ready for what was about to happen.

Then Teddy opened the show with “The Door,” lowering onto the stage from a construction-style structure before immediately launching into the performance.

And the production did not let up from there.

The centerpiece was a massive multi-level structure with three working floors, along with different rooms built directly into the set, including a bedroom. Screens, moving elements, lighting, pyro, and countless small details transformed the space throughout the night.

One second, you could be watching a video on the screens and the next, a giant skull head with its mouth wide open appeared onstage. Then later, a dumpster on fire with pyro shooting throughout the setup became part of the spectacle.

There was so much packed into the production that you could probably watch the show multiple times and still notice something you missed.

The visuals also highlighted Teddy's Atlanta roots, showing how his hometown helped shape him and his music. Those moments gave the massive production a personal connection to the artist behind it.

And Teddy certainly made use of all three floors.

I genuinely found myself wondering what his step count looked like after the show.

He was constantly moving, crossing from one side of the stage to the other, changing levels, interacting with different sections of the arena, and making his way toward fans throughout the night. Even with all of that movement, he never seemed disconnected from the audience.

If anything, fan interaction was one of the strongest parts of the entire show.

Teddy spent time talking directly to the crowd, joking with fans, acknowledging different sections of the arena, and even stopping mid-show to sign autographs for fans on the floor.

It never felt like he was simply performing at the crowd.

He was performing with them.

The packed arena was also a pretty incredible representation of just how wide Teddy's reach has become. There were fans of all ages throughout Nationwide Arena, including a few younger fans wearing big headphones who looked absolutely thrilled to be there.

Teddy really does have a way of bringing people together through his music.

At one point, he took a moment to shout out all the moms in the audience after seeing a fan's sign about bringing their mom to the show as a Mother's Day present.

“You all are superheroes,” he told them.

It was another small moment where Teddy found a way to make the people in the arena feel seen.

He also made sure to highlight his band and singers, talking throughout the night about how grateful he was to be able to travel and tour with people he considers his best friends.

“Thank you for letting me have the best job in the world with my best friends. There is truly nothing like it. You saved my life, you changed my life, you made my life so special. You make me feel so special. I’m so grateful.”

That gratitude was a consistent theme throughout the night.

He repeatedly thanked fans for showing up, supporting his music, and allowing him to do what he loves.

At one point, he simply told the crowd, “Thank you for joining us for live music.”

And honestly, there was something really special about hearing that inside a packed arena.

Of course, the reason everyone was there was the music.

Teddy's vocals were every bit as powerful as you would hope.

Songs that already carry an enormous amount of emotion on record felt even bigger live. His ability to move between soulful performances and explosive, full-throttle vocals was one of the highlights of the night.

“The Rain” brought out the soulful yearning in Teddy's voice, while “Cut Me Loose” brought a completely different energy with its fun and flair. His backing singers were both hot and incredibly talented, adding another layer to the already powerful live arrangements.

Both songs also gave fans a preview of what's coming next from Teddy.

Neither “The Rain” nor “Cut Me Loose” has been officially released yet, and Teddy wanted to know which one his fans were connecting with more. A QR code appeared on the screens, giving fans the chance to vote for their favorite of the two.

It was a fun way to bring the audience into the process while also giving Teddy a chance to see which unreleased song was resonating most with the crowd.

Some of my personal favorites of the night were “Funeral” and “Devil in a Dress,” which brought a completely different kind of energy.

These were the songs that made you want to scream every lyric at the top of your lungs. They had the kind of confidence and attitude that immediately gets a crowd moving, and they were two of the moments where it was nearly impossible not to sing along.

The Columbus crowd also got another opportunity to have a say in the setlist.

Fans were able to vote for songs that weren't already included in the night's setlist, with the songs receiving the most votes earning a spot in the show.

Columbus got “She Loves the Rain.”

It was such a fun way to involve the audience and give fans the opportunity to hear a song they specifically wanted. It also showed how much Teddy wants the people coming to these shows to feel like they are part of the experience rather than simply watching from the crowd.

That connection became even more memorable when Columbus native Nina West appeared onstage.

Nina, a longtime Columbus performer and community figure, joined Teddy's team for one of the night's most ridiculous and entertaining moments: helping shoot hot dogs into the crowd.

Yes.

Hot dogs.

Absolutely iconic.

Having Nina West, whose connection to Columbus runs deep, make an appearance during Teddy's show added an especially fun hometown touch to the night. It was the kind of unexpected moment that had the entire arena wondering what was going to happen next.

And somehow, hot dogs flying through the air fit perfectly into the chaos and fun of the night.

The UGLY Tour is a massive production, but what kept it from feeling disconnected was Teddy himself.

He could move from a huge vocal performance to joking with the crowd, from highlighting his band to signing an autograph, and from a deeply soulful song to launching into something that had an entire arena screaming along.

There was a little bit of everything.

And Teddy seemed to genuinely enjoy every second of it.

As my first time seeing Teddy Swims live, The UGLY Tour was everything I hoped it would be and more.

The vocals were phenomenal. The band and singers were incredible. The production was detailed, creative, and constantly surprising. And Teddy himself brought an energy that made it nearly impossible to look away.

But more than anything, the night felt fun.

After experiencing this show for myself, I can say that Teddy Swims is an artist who absolutely needs to be experienced live.

There was something for everyone, whether you came for the soulful songs, the massive vocals, the newer music, the high-energy performances, the ridiculous stage moments, or simply the chance to finally hear Teddy Swims live.

And Columbus was only the sixth show of this tour.

That means there is still plenty of time for fans to experience The UGLY Tour for themselves. Teddy continues across North America throughout October and into November before bringing the tour to Europe and the UK in early 2027. Current tour dates and ticket information are available at https://www.teddyswims.com/#tour