Teezo Touchdown is impossible to ignore. With his enigmatic attire, robotic body language and trademark hairstyle — nails in his braids — his concerts are a lock for a one-of-a-kind experience. When I finally got to see Teezo live in Portland at the Hawthorne Theater, I was not disappointed.
Before we get into Teezo’s set, it’s important to acknowledge the opening act, UO alum, Annabelle Kline. As a UO student, it’s always cool to see former Ducks doing well for themselves. Kline is a podcast curator, DJ and music industry savant, and since she departed from Eugene, she has built herself a cult following on social media with her creative artist spotlights and infectious energy. She seamlessly carried that energy over into her opening set, playing roughly half an hour of fun mixes and keeping the antsy audience entertained and engaged.
Outside of her opening set, her presence was felt throughout Teezo’s set as well. Teezo’s set was divided into a few different sections, each boasting his distinctive outfits and stage presentations. Between each section, varying clips of an interview between Kline and Teezo were broadcasted on the projector, hinting at songs and themes to notice in the following performances. From start to finish, Kline’s presence was evident, providing the audience with an impression of intent and care that made the concert all the more enjoyable.
Teezo made his presence felt the second he touched the stage, singing and rapping into a bouquet of flowers. The stage backdrop featured two Monster energy drink props and a spray-painted duplex garage door. In the first section of his set, he performed mostly old songs, showcasing his efforts to not forget where he came from.
On opener “Careful,” Teezo sang with a notable display of anguish, slowly swaying back and forth and singing the now-iconic lines “You bet not break my heart / I told you all my insecurities / I told you I can be your security / I told you that middle part would be pretty.” One would think this would be a stark tone-setter, but in true Teezo fashion, he flips the script into a Panic! At The Disco cover. Throughout the entirety of his set, but particularly in this first section, Teezo exhibits an unparalleled ability to march at the beat of his drum.
The stage display changed several times during this concert, but one that left a notable impression on me was when the wall was covered in sticky notes highlighting all of his successful features.
Teezo only came on the music scene a few years ago, and it wasn’t until his feature on Tyler, the Creator’s “RUNITUP” that people really began to take note of him. Before releasing his debut album “How Do You Sleep At Night?” in the summer of 2023, Teezo made a name for himself through a handful of features on big-name artists, such as Travis Scott, Drake, Doja Cat and more.
Through different avenues, Teezo consistently made sure to highlight the places and people who helped him become the artist he is today in this concert. There were even cocktails named after his features in the media section! As an individual of legal drinking age, I had to run it up and see what these were about. I got the Modern Jam (the name of his feature with Travis Scott), which had tequila, pineapple soda and a splash of peach liqueur and lime. Sweet, delicious and dangerous. A classic blend of traits for a cocktail.
An evident theme throughout this concert, despite its inherent rollercoaster nature, was Teezo’s desire to be grateful for everything around him. Each section of his set demonstrated every inch of his diverse artistic palette with one-of-a-kind body movements and attire. He has arrived at the forefront of the music industry and has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. His concert was an incredible blend of entertainment, musical prowess and strong messaging, and as high of expectations I had coming into this, he still managed to blow them out of the water.
