Sep 28, 2026
·Tricia Despres
Welcome to SeatGeek Front Row, where music writers share their tips for attending the biggest concert tours around the country. For this edition, longtime Chicago-area entertainment writer Tricia Despres breaks down what it’s really like to see Teddy Swims’ The UGLY Tour in person, from the songs he sings to the merch he sells to the hot dogs he shoots at fans from a cannon. Yep, you heard that right.
If ever an artist could walk into the home of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks and make it his own for the night, it is Teddy Swims.
From the moment Atlanta’s very own stepped onstage to the onslaught of love from the fans gathered there, he had the Windy City in his hands, taking them from hysterics to tears with ease via a setlist that was sonically so very satisfying.
But what made the night even more special was that the Sept. 25 show happened to fall on the hitmaker’s 34th birthday –– meaning there were plenty of surprises in store for both Swims and the fans assembled there.
Heck, we even sang Happy Birthday to him.
Full disclosure –– I had never been to a Teddy Swims show before this Friday night. I knew his biggest songs and participated in the biggest singalongs –– but much of the setlist was new to me. By the time the night was over, however, I knew I was now a fan for life.
And let me tell you why.
What a Teddy Swims UGLY Tour concert is really like
I have attended enough concerts to know this –– as soon as I walk through the doors, get through security and get the almighty ticket scanned, I want to feel as if I belong.
From the moment I walked in, I did.
Fans were friendly. They smiled and held doors and looked primed and ready to leave their troubles at the door. The openers were intriguing. They delighted all those looking to get the most out of their ticket and likely left more than a few fans making a mental note to download their music when they got home.
Then there was Teddy Swims.
Chicago marked just the third stop on The UGLY Tour, and Swims acknowledged from the stage that a tour of this size was something new for him. The show also offered fans a glimpse of what’s coming next, including unreleased music from his upcoming album, UGLY, with concertgoers even given the chance to vote on new songs in real time.
I’m not entirely sure if it is his little grin or his signature stretched earlobes, but Swims is a juxtaposition in the flesh. He put on an electric show backed by an equally electric crew yet somehow made an arena holding thousands feel remarkably intimate. One minute he was commanding the stage amid fire, strobe lights and massive production elements, and the next he was talking directly to fans about life, love and just how much their support means to him.
What time does Teddy Swims go on?
The night began promptly at 6:58 p.m., when MarcLo walked onto the stage, with roughly 10 percent of the expected audience firmly in their seats. There is a chance that he was a little early to the stage, since it took the United Center powers that be a moment to turn down the lights and turn up the vibe. The accomplished singer finished his set at 7:29 p.m., with a hefty number of fans firmly in his pocket.
As fans continued to file in and find their seats, Mac Ayres stepped onto a still low-key stage at 7:50 p.m. and left to an ovation at 8:38 p.m.
At 9:01 p.m., Swims’ already viral tour sidekick that I will purely refer to as ‘the janitor guy’ took the stage with a broom in hand and effectively pumped up the already amped-up crowd via singalongs that spanned from TLC’s “Waterfalls” to The Allman Brothers Band’s “Ramblin’ Man.”
The party finally reached a crescendo when the lights went out at 9:09 p.m. and Swims officially took the stage at 9:11 p.m.
Swims would play until exactly 11 p.m. on the dot, with no traditional encore to his nearly two-hour show. Frankly, the charade of a “fake” encore was never needed. He knew he had his Chicago fans right where he wanted them –– and he wasn’t about to lose hold of that feeling.
I was in my car by 11:10 p.m. as “The Door” came on the radio.
What is Teddy Swims’ setlist for The UGLY Tour?
In a day and age when money is tight and people are concerned about getting their money’s worth, Teddy Swims delivered. The 25-song setlist, while similar to those from the opening days of The UGLY Tour, felt fresh and satisfying. Even the covers felt as if they always belonged there.
It was a rollercoaster for the imagination that you would definitely want to ride again. Perhaps the coolest aspect, though, was the conversations Swims had with fans between songs, along with songs voted on by the audience in real time.
The Door
Hammer to the Heart
Are You Even Real
Funeral
What More Can I Say
911
Mr. Know It All
You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
Devil in a Dress
Bad Dreams
Gone Gone Gone
She Loves the Rain
If You Ever Change Your Mind
Some Things I’ll Never Know
Perfect Man
Somethin’ ’Bout a Woman
The Rain
Cut Me Loose
Jump
All That Really Matters
Break Up in Reverse
You’re Still the One
Bed on Fire
Goodbye’s Been Good to You
Lose Control
What does The UGLY Tour stage and production look like?
As the openers played against a simple black backdrop, it became somewhat of a tease to fans as to what was hiding right behind the curtain. But nothing could quite prepare them for what was back there.
Essentially, the stage seemingly chameleons in front of fans’ eyes throughout the night. The massive, multi-level set is filled with nooks and crannies where something always seems to be happening, whether Swims is singing from the second floor, grabbing a graffiti-covered pay phone or suddenly appearing atop a hot dog stand. And yes, at one point, hot dogs were actually shot into the crowd from a cannon.
Moving backdrops and video interludes continually transform the space, while everything from strobe lights and bursts of fire to Atlanta-inspired imagery — and even a car seemingly crashing into the back of the stage — keeps your eyes wandering throughout the nearly two-hour show.
It was a stage setup that I found myself wanting to crawl into and live in, if only for a little while.
What Teddy Swims merch is available for The UGLY Tour?
Merch was a big hit at the concert, as more and more fans seemed to be carrying around the “UGLY” emblazoned tote bags as the night went on. Many of those totes held even more merch, ranging from $40 t-shirts to $70 long-sleeve pullovers to $80 hoodies. Almost everything was black, except for the cream/white tote bags and one cream t-shirt option.
Of course, there was a wide selection of hats and koozies and vinyl records –– many of which fans handed to Swims throughout the show for an autograph. Surprisingly, though, none of the merch lines seemed overly crowded and from what I could see, nothing had sold out by the end of the night.
What are Teddy Swims fans wearing to the concert?
Much like the vibe of Teddy Swims himself, anything seems to go at a Teddy Swims concert. Outfits ran the gamut from sweatshirts and jeans to green fur coats and devil horn headbands. There seemed to be a plethora of animal print, but I’m not entirely sure if that was Swims-inspired or simply what people wear to a Chicago concert on a Friday night.
Either way, it was interesting.
I also couldn’t help but notice the number of men with stretched earlobes similar to Swims’ signature look. It’s a good look on the right guy, I guess.
Is a Teddy Swims concert family-friendly?
One of the most endearing parts of the Teddy Swims UGLY Tour was seeing the number of kids in the audience. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters –– all seemed equally enthused to take in everything Swims had to offer.
Perhaps even more endearing were the life lessons Swims tucked into the nooks and crannies between songs –– lessons worthy of the attention of a 54-year-old woman like me just as much as the 12-year-old boy sitting next to me.
The audience was friendly; the atmosphere was welcoming and the show moved quickly. My take? Bring the whole gosh darn family.
Tips for seeing a concert at the United Center
The United Center is an easy place to settle in for a concert once you know the lay of the land.
What was entry and security like at the United Center?
Doors opened at 5:30 p.m. on the dot, much to the delight of fans who had begun lining up at Gate 3 about a half hour earlier. The entrance for those with floor and pit tickets was on the opposite side of the venue at the South Atrium, so there was no pushing or shoving to get into the North Atrium –– everyone took their own sweet time.
Security was a breeze, as long as you follow the United Center’s rules. Small purses or personal bags can measure no larger than 10 by 6 by 2 inches. Backpacks and larger bags are prohibited, so make sure to double-check your bag size before heading to the arena.
Once inside, there was a merch area immediately to the left –– probably a good place to stop if you want the best selection before the crowds arrive.
Where should you sit for a concert at the United Center?
My ticket was in Section 111, Row 1, Seat 3, and to say I was pleased would be an understatement. The seats were plush, the legroom was plentiful and my seat offered an unobstructed view of everything Swims’ miraculous set had to offer.
The expansive catwalk allowed Swims to feel surprisingly close, even though I wasn’t on the floor or in the pit. And frankly, I was happy to have the extra room to enjoy the show. Our row did seem to have some trouble, however, deciding whether to sit or stand, since many fans in the surrounding sections seemed to favor sitting for portions of the show.
What is parking like at the United Center?
In an effort to take in the entirety of the Teddy Swims experience, I made the trek from the Chicago suburbs to the United Center starting at 3:45 p.m. I soon hit Friday rush-hour traffic on I-55, eventually arriving at the venue at 4:59 p.m.
Once there, I made my way to Lot C, which cost $65 but was incredibly convenient –– located immediately north of the United Center and just a short walk from the arena doors. And a special shoutout to the Lot C attendant named Benicio, who could not have been nicer.
Tell him I sent you.
Getting out after the show, however, was another story. Traffic leaving Lot C moved painfully slow, so while I’d park there again for the convenience, I’d also plan on sitting tight for a while once the show ends.
How can I get tickets for an upcoming Teddy Swims concert on SeatGeek?
Start by heading over to Teddy Swims’ artist page on SeatGeek and enter your location to see if The UGLY Tour is headed your way. Once you find your show, choose how many tickets you need and use the interactive venue map to find the seats that work best for you. Once you’re happy with your choice, hit checkout. I promise you –– you will walk out feeling better than you did when you walked in.
Consider it the Teddy Swims effect.
📁 Categories: Front Row, Concerts
🏷️ Tags: Teddy Swims, The UGLY Tour, United Center, Chicago