Sophie Berning
Everyone’s favorite redhead singer performed at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, October 13. Ed Sheeran is an amazing performer and he actually does everything by himself live in front of the audience.
Sheeran used his loop pedal to record and repeat chords and vocals that he used throughout his songs.
Not only was his one-man band impressive, but the graphics and screens he had set up behind him were amazing. They were fun and added a whole other level to his songs.
Sheeran took a lot of time in between songs to talk with the audience and he made sure to let everyone know that his concerts were about the relationship between us – his fans – and himself. While on this note Sheeran cracked some jokes about the two percent of people who don’t participate at his concerts.
He called them “super dads” and boyfriends who don’t want to be here – honestly nothing was funnier than is impression of every girl’s unenthusiastic dad who was forced into coming to a concert.
Not only did Sheeran make sure that everyone knew he was there to entertain, he really wanted people to get involved in his concert. In order to make people who felt awkward dancing or singing feel better, Sheeran shared some embarrassing stories about himself at concerts.
But the real reason a lot of people went to see Sheeran was his music and let me tell ya, he did not disappoint. Sheeran had an amazing setlist prepared for the concert and he started out with one of everyone’s favorites, “Castle on the Hill.”
After playing a couple other songs Sheeran did a mash-up of two of his songs, “Don’t” and “New Man” which was outstanding. He is so extremely talented and he did an amazing job of putting these two songs together live on the stage in front of us.
The next song he sang is easily one of my favorites by him and it was “Bloodstream.” He really wanted everyone to get involved in this song and he told us that when he put his arm up in the air, we were supposed to move our arms up and down to the beat and not stop until the beat stopped.
It was amazing to watch what looked like a sea of flowing people moving to the beat of his song.
Another favorite of mine that he sang was “Tenerife Sea” and it was so beautiful. Before he started he told everyone that he needed to have this song as his moment and everyone was to hush. It was silent except for his singing and it echoed up through the stands – I may have even shed a tear or two.
After playing his next song, “Galway Girl,” Sheeran played a cover of “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé, but before he finished it he started singing “I See Fire.”
The screens behind Sheeran showed a dragon breathing fire because “I See Fire” was actually a song he wrote for the Hobbit. It was cool to see him playing out the story behind the song.
Sheeran sang a bunch more of his songs and he sounded beautiful – as always – but when he sang “Photograph” he used his loop pedal to harmonize with himself and it sounded like a choir of angels.
The next song he sang was “Perfect” and it really was perfect. He had everyone turn their lights on their phones on and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in awhile.
He finished off his performance with “Sing” – a hit from his last album – but before the night was totally over Sheeran came back out on stage for his encore in a Patrick Mahomes Chiefs jersey and played “Shape of You” and “You Don’t Need Me, I Don’t Need You.”
This final song he sang was the best 10 minutes of the whole concert. Sheeran was intense, the graphics behind him were bright and flashing and crazy, and he even freestyle rapped to his own song.
Sheeran is the best performer to see live and this was the third time I’ve seen him – so that’s gotta tell you something. I’ve been to like a good dozen and a half concerts but no one is ever able to perform on the same level as the wonderfully talented Ed Sheeran.
