Teddy Geiger may have performed around the world, but he loves the energy of a college town.

The platinum selling singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger will perform at 9:30 p.m. today at the Mill, 120 E. Burlington St., in an event presented by the Campus Activities Board. Admission is free.

Geiger is on tour promoting his sophomore album, The Last Fears, and this is the first time he will be in Iowa City. He was unaware of Iowa’s celebrated mantra but said he is ready to experience the No. 1 party school.

“[It sounds like] its going to be a party,” Geiger said. “Maybe I’ll bring a bottle of something along.”

Geiger’s carefree, happy nature, and the length of his tenure in the business hasn’t diminished his love for music.

He wrote his first song at the age of 10, and when his first band won a battle of the bands concert, he was signed to Columbia Records.

From there, Geiger put out his first hit single, “For You I Will,” which garnered plenty of attention and radio spins across the country.

Deanna Dozer, the Campus Activities Board variety and entertainment director, said that single was one of the reasons she decided to bring Geiger to Iowa City.

“We were at a showcase that he performed at in March, and he had this one single, ‘For You I Will,’ that I really liked,” Dozer said. “So I thought it would be a good idea [to bring him to Iowa City].”

Geiger was only 16 when that single came out, and afterwards, he proceeded to go on a three-year international tour promoting his début LP, Underage Thinking.

After a fallout with his label, he decided to go independent. There was a seven-year hiatus in between his two albums as a result, but he said the two are not as different as some may expect. He wrote Underage Thinking when he was growing up at 16, and he went through a similar process with The Last Fears, because of being independent and more involved with the musical progression.

“When it came time to write a second album, the label wanted a hit, and I wasn’t in with that process,” Geiger said.

Instead of forcing a single the radio could play, he decided to slow things down.

“The road is foggy for the rest of your life, and I was just trying to figure out the direction I wanted to go in,” he said.

While the process to recording the albums are easily compared, he does describe The Last Fears as having more of a classic sound instead of a pop feel.

Although his most recent album loses some of the pop edge, he still enjoys creating that same type of feeling at his live shows.

Geiger will bring his percussionist to the show — who plays a box instrument but makes it sound like a drum kit. That adds an element to the acoustic show that creates an upbeat atmosphere to get people dancing and out of their seats.

Fans can expect Geiger to perform “Shake It Off,” his favorite to perform.

To prepare for his up-tempo performances, Geiger is ordinary. He can be seen doing breathing exercises and vocal warm-ups but said he doesn’t worship a “satanic cult.”

UI junior Jack Baker, who will open for Geiger, said his original music is influenced by Ray Charles and the old-blues scene mixed with rap and hip-hop.

Baker looks forward to playing at the event and performing in the same venue as Geiger.

“I’m really excited,” Baker said. “I’m looking forward to performing in front of a full crowd.”

MUSIC