The man himself, his guitar, and his loop pedal – that’s all it took for Ed Sheeran to command the National Stadium of 60,000 people last night.
Following a captivating opening act by singer and songwriter Calum Scott, a timer appeared on the screen and began counting down to the start of the show. This helped to heighten the audience's anticipation as they eagerly awaited the start of the concert.
Then, right on the dot, Ed Sheeran rose up onto the stage with the song Tides, followed by Let Me Blow, accompanied with fire sparks and electrifying stage lights.
Ed Sheeran subsequently declared that the evening served as a prelude to his birthday on February 17, emphasising the joy of celebrating it in the company of the Singapore audience. He shared, “Tonight is the biggest show I’ve ever played in Asia, and the biggest ticketed concert I have had in Singapore.”
Reflecting on his humble beginnings in a small farming town with a population of no more than 2000 people, Ed fondly noted that the concert held sentimental significance of success for him.
At this point, it is evident that Ed Sheeran is taking the stage solo despite creating a sound that gives the impression of a full band and backup tracks. He noted that he has been accustomed to performing solo since the age of 14. Ed explained his use of a loop station on stage, emphasising that everything is entirely live, devoid of any backup tracks. "It's all created live on the spot, controlled by my feet. Once it is erased, it won't be replicated the same way tomorrow," he proclaimed.
The show continued on with Shivers, as well as famous tracks like The A Team, Lego House, Castle On The Hill, Give Me Love, and Don’t. He urged everyone to rise and dance, particularly during the lively and upbeat songs, with the question, “Are you here to sit or are you here to dance?”
Ed also reminisced about the initial performance of The A Team, recalling a time when he had almost no audience. Despite the challenging start, he persevered until he struck "luck" by securing a record label deal, ultimately paving the way for the success of the song.
While predominantly performing solo, Ed Sheeran occasionally guided the audience into delightful sing-along harmonising sessions. Collaborative tracks like Beautiful People and Peru were also performed with his band positioned on both the right and left sides of the main stage.
The night was already going amazing, but it was brought to the next level when local singer JJ Lin took the stage and put on a performance with Ed to sing one of Lin's originals, Twilight, better known as 不为谁而作的歌.
Throughout the two-hour concert of his + - = ÷ x Tour, Ed Sheeran never stopped parading around the stages for audiences on all sides, delivering an amazing show for all 60,000 people through and through.
Ed is set to perform again tonight, and this time in a more intimate setting at the Capitol Theatre.
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