Bringing both bangers and banter to the stage, the rising Irish pop-star Tim Chadwick delivered a set to remember last Saturday night.
It’s difficult to pin down Tim Chadwick. His music is as double-edged as sad bangers come, while his claimed name of “snake hips” would (arguably) make him equally slippery on the dance floor. It was the artist’s unassuming nature, however, that held the crowd in Dublin last weekend. During his live set, Chadwick showed pure gratitude towards the audience, which is always striking from an artist creating first-class music like his. As he shared candid stories and appreciations between tracks, he told his fans, consistently, “thank you for being here with me.”
At Lost Lane, the artist quickly slipped on stage, immediately launching into the opening track, “Weakness,” which touches on the vulnerability of admitting to loving someone. The musician’s style blends lively pop beats with poignant singer-songwriter lyrics, evoking a sense of the 80s ballad reimagined for a contemporary audience. His musical style is aided by his fashion sense, the artist donning wide pleated pants and a ‘stache reminiscent of Freddy Mercury’s iconic look.
Following his opening tracks, Chadwick paused the music to address the crowd in acknowledgment. “I could just walk off stage right now and I would be pretty happy…thank you so much for coming here.” He describes how he was anxious no one would turn up, “but you all filled the room, so thank you.”
Slowing it down, he drops into “Belong” and “Cold Feet.” On several occasions, the crowd at the sold-out venue sang back the lyrics to the singer unprompted. Often, he cannot help but smile at this on stage. As an introduction to the latter track, he admits that earlier this year, he thought about giving up music, growing emotional; the audience erupts in a cheer, letting him know that they’re so glad he’s here.
Chadwick delivers a cracking cover of Young Hearts Run Free, cementing the night’s nod to the oldie era, then wrapping it up with several bops including “Sore Thumb” and “Tell Me That.” Before delivering his closing track, he informs the crowd that there will be no encore; the artist doesn’t believe in them after getting locked out of his own show following an encore, an emergency door, and an automatic lock at Whelan’s down the street.
“I had to walk back to the stage through the crowd, it was like a magic act.”
Closing with his most recent hit, I Need to Know, the artist commanded the stage with style and ease, displaying a natural and genuine enjoyment while showing off his now-noteworthy dance moves. At times, the crowd belting out the lyrics is near as loud as Chadwick’s singing in the microphone, while the dance moves are in equal abundance throughout the audience. When the final notes have played, the artist drops to his knees, bowing up and down to his fans then slips off stage as quietly as he arrived.
In a mix of humility, humor, and proper dancing tunes, Chadwick delivered a set to remember at Lost Lane and one that – from the sounds of it – he will certainly never forget.
Tim Chadwick’s music is available to stream on Spotify. Stay connected via the artist’s Instagram.
Image: Tim Chadwick.
