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Before he became one of the biggest names in pop music, Teddy Swims was just a guy with a few social media accounts. I first discovered Swims, whose real name is Jaten Dimsdale, during the pandemic, when he began posting videos of himself singing on Instagram and TikTok. Like me, countless people around the world couldn’t get enough of his smooth, soulful voice.

Before long, Swims was racking up millions of views and gaining a huge following. That’s when the music industry started to take notice and signed him to a record label. His debut single, “Night Off,” blew up on streaming platforms and the rest, as they say, is history.

Back in the day, the Conyers, Georgia, native started by singing in his church choir and competing in his school’s talent shows, refining his soulful, bluesy sound. It comes as little surprise to hear Swims cite legends like Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye as major inspirations.

Thanks to lyrics that delve into themes of love, loss and self-discovery, Swims has clearly tapped into a winning formula. His breakout single “Lose Control” has garnered an astounding 2.6 billion global streams while reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was inducted into Spotify’s “Billions Club.”

With more than 48 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a sold-out global headline tour on the horizon, the Grammy-nominated powerhouse came to the nation’s capital, performing at Nationals Park for the first time and lived up to the hype.

Swims had the ballpark hanging on his every note as delivered a captivating and melodic set that included hits such as “What More Can I Say,” “Some Things I’ll Never Know,” and “Apple Juice.” The 31-year-old then ended the night with “Lose Control” and “The Door,” ensuring that all those in attendance headed for the exits more than satisfied with the amazing performance. 

With more than 200 live music venues packed into 280 square miles and internationally acclaimed events such as South by Southwest and the Austin City Limits Music Festivals, it’s easy to see why the capital of Texas is known as the Live Music Capital of the World.

Iconic artists such as Janis Joplin, Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan put Austin on the map musically, and a new generation of performers carries the torch today. One of the most prominent faces of Austin’s vibrant music scene today is Gary Clark Jr.

Influenced by rock and roll pioneers like Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix as well as soul artists such as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, Clark Jr.’s music defies categorization. The 40-year-old’s rock influences are prominent during collaborations with the Foo Fighters and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello. Additional high-profile collaborations with The Roots, Childish Gambino, John Legend and Alicia Keys, as well as B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow and John Mayer prove that Clark Jr. can seamlessly fit into practically any genre and/or style of music.

For this reason, Clark Jr.’s performance at Wolf Trap, in Vienna, Virginia, was nothing short of mesmerizing. The evening — part of a massive 25-date North American tour — was a perfect blend of raw blues, soulful ballads and electrifying rock, showcasing his versatility and a deep connection with his passionate fanbase.

The four-time Grammy Award winner began the evening with “Maktub,” the lead single off of his fourth studio album, JPEG RAW. Rolling Stone has already hailed the album, which dropped in March, as one of the best releases of 2024. In Arabic, Maktub means “it is written” — a song with plenty to say about how freedom is our destiny.

Following the opening track, Clark Jr. launched into “When My Train Pulls In,” a beloved staple in his repertoire. The extended guitar solos and heartfelt lyrics created a palpable connection with the audience. So much so that — as the track came to an end — Clark Jr. paused for a brief moment, allowing himself to soak in all of the admiration and appreciation from the roughly 6,000 in attendance.

While Clark Jr. has a well-earned reputation placing him among the best guitarists alive today, he’s clearly not one dimensional. “This Is Who We Are” is a standout track from JPEG RAW that best illustrates Clark Jr. takes to the stage each night with something to say. Before diving into “Bright Lights” near the end of his set, Clark Jr. fittingly asked for the house lights to be turned up so he could once more take in the enthusiastic audience that continued to hang on his every word and note. The hit track from his album, Blak and Blu, was easily a highlight of the night and worthy of the raucous ovation the performer received in response.

While those in attendance would have loved for the show to continue long into the night, the venue’s curfew limited Clark Jr. to just one additional song when the band returned to the stage. That said, the encore performance of “Funk Witch U” concluded the concert on an absolute high note.