Teddy Swims has given a surprise intimate performance at a train station ahead of this year’s edition of Reading & Leeds.
The American singer took over Reading train station for an impromptu acoustic performance of his songs ‘Lose Control’ and ‘Funeral’ ahead of his appearance at the festivals.
Swims – real name Jaten Collin Dimsdale – also performed his song ‘The Door’. The stripped-down performance was in collaboration with Rockstar Energy Drink, who are sponsoring this year’s festival.
The singer showed up to the train station sporting an incognito hat and sunglasses to seamlessly blend into the crowd full of festival goers and passers-by going about their commute to the festival, passing through the station, before making his way to an unattended piano set-up inside the station. Check out the footage of the performance below.
🎵Here’s the moment star singer Teddy Swims shocked commuters at Reading Station with a set before his Friday slot at Reading Festival🎵 #ReadingFest #randl pic.twitter.com/NtieW9LyP1
— Wokingham.Today (@WokinghamToday) August 22, 2024
@teddyswims at Reading Station #Reading #Readingstation #ReadingFestival2024 pic.twitter.com/oJM6LtSwYv
— G the Train Driver (@GtheTrainDriver) August 22, 2024
Speaking about the surprise performance in a press release, the singer said: “I loved getting to partner up with Rockstar Energy Drink to give everyone going to the festival a little surprise at the train station – it’s always such an honour and so humbling to see the different walks of life that come together to listen to music.
“I love y’all and thank you for letting me do the best job in the entire world. See you all there this weekend!”
Swims is set to perform at Reading Festival tomorrow (August 23) at 4:55pm on the BBC Radio 1 stage and at Leeds Festival on Saturday (August 24) 4:50pm on the BBC Radio 1 stage.
Reading & Leeds boast Fred Again.., Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Blink-182 and Gerry Cinnamon as its six headliners this year.
Raye, Spiritbox, Fontaines D.C., Reneé Rapp, Pendulum, Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats, Beabadoobee, Nia Archives, Two Door Cinema Club, Neck Deep, The Wombats, Ashnikko, Rachel Chinouriri, Hak Baker, The Last Dinner Party and more are also expected to play from Wednesday, August 21 to Sunday, August 25.
Sunny intervals are also to be expected from both locations (as of August 19).
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Reading and Leeds 2024.
