Ed Sheeran
Accor Stadium
Sydney, Australia
24 February 2023
While after the British singer-songwriter’s steady ascent into the orbit of stardom and him being ubiquitous in global pop culture, I have to admit that I was not overly familiar with Ed Sheeran’s musical oeuvre, which I was eager to rectify - so what better way to see what the seemingly innocuous pop star has to offer than witnessing the acoustic guitar touting Irishman channel his alchemy in a live environment.
From the get go it appeared obvious that Sheeran has astutely studied the greats, based on which he has created his own idiosyncratic, unconventional, clever modern melange by effortlessly blurring the boundaries of pop genres, including but not limited to hip hop and classic rock.
Paired with his unique vocal delivery and his honed story telling abilities, it made his show a classic-sounding, familiar, and welcoming affair that resonated immensely well with an audience of over 80,000 that proved to be enthused by every move of him.
Performing live as part of his “Mathematics” tour on a rotating 360-degree stage in the centre of the stadium, flanked by the constituents of his band situated on outer segment extensions of the stage, Sheeran’s laid-back, down-to-earth, approachable charisma translates well and is carried by an intentional, unpolished edge.
Fireworks, projections, pyrotechnics and other visual aids elevated the show while Sheeran was busy creating his multi-layered songs and harmonies from scratch with his looping station, including at times irritatingly rumbling bass parts, and kept the sold out crowd engaged throughout a joyful and immersive set that appeared to establish a sincere connection with the audience.
While firmly placed in the spotlight, backed by a full band the performance added a welcome and enjoyable dimension of heft to Sheeran’s catalogue of songs and a well-calibrated performance, which was disarmingly delivered with fervour and gusto.
