REVIEW: TEEZO TOUCHDOWN @ PARADISE ROCK CLUB 5/2

Photo Credit: Alondra Buccio

Review By Jonny Malyon

Teezo Touchdown’s rise to fame has been long and unorthodox. He consistently makes extraordinarily heartfelt and authentic music, receiving recognition from artists such as  Chance the Rapper and Trippie Redd as far back as 2019. More recently, he has had prominent features on hit records from Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, and Travis Scott. However, the real fans are here for his debut album, “How Do You Sleep At Night?”

The “Spend The Night Tour” has been eagerly anticipated by die-hard Teezo fans for some time now. Teezo opened for Tyler, the Creator, and Travis Scott on their respective tours the past few years, which gained him many new fans and built up anticipation for a headline tour. It was clear that Teezo himself had been anticipating this moment as well. 

He had planned out the entire show, which was quite impressive for a smaller venue. I counted three unique outfits, each a bit more extravagant than the last, all including his iconic nail accessories. Teezo took us on a journey throughout his show, with an interview recording cropping up between segments of the set that discussed certain parts of his career and how he has evolved into the artist he is today.

My biggest takeaway from this show was how passionately Teezo believes in being his authentic self and encourages others to do the same. From the bouquet of flowers surrounding his microphone, to the nails woven into his hair, to the wide range of genres covered in his songs, Teezo does what he wants, without concern for any potential criticism. 

When I was first exposed to Teezo Touchdown, I assumed he was much younger than he is, because of this authenticity and relentless experimentation. For me, Teezo’s shots don’t always fall. Some songs feel disjointed or unpolished. However, what stuck out to me during this show is that I might be looking at it the wrong way. Sure, Teezo may want to make good songs, but what drives his process is just that, the process. 

He creates because he needs to. He has lived long enough to know that there is nothing worth doing other than what he feels driven to do. If Teezo was driven by fame and money, I’m sure he would have given up by now. But here he is, getting his first real global recognition in his early 30s and still refusing to compromise his vision. People are just finally starting to notice how infectious it really is.

That leads me to the other takeaway I had from this show. Teezo Touchdown fans are die-hards. I have been to plenty of shows, for a wide range of artists with different levels of fame, but never in my life have I witnessed a show where almost every single audience member knew the words to every song that was played. It was truly a sight to be seen. Teezo’s setlist followed his career, highlighting songs that had played big roles in his rise to fame. So early in his set was filled with songs he had written and released years ago, before almost anyone had heard his name. Nevertheless, the whole crowd was singing every word with him. 

It was clear to see that Teezo’s decision to be true to himself is infectious. His fans were moving, singing, yelling, and enjoying his set because he was. I left wondering how many stars were born in that audience. How many people were inspired to create in new, unabashed ways after seeing Teezo do the same?

 I strongly believe that in a few decades, many of our most popular musicians and performers will shout-out Teezo Touchdown as the artist that inspired them the most. This type of inspirational energy was palpable through Teezo’s unique outfit changes, the uplifting and encouraging messages of many of his songs, and the pure energy that he gave to and received from the crowd. I walked away with a clear impression that the best way to be a true Teezo Touchdown fan is to follow his lead, and be your authentic self.