“Playing at Wembley Stadium was never a dream of mine because it felt too big” Ed Sheeran exclaims, standing in front of 80,000 adoring fans. In the moments before walking on stage, video footage from his childhood right up until 2014 is projected onto the big screens, following his journey from aspiring kid, to busker, to worldwide star. Now on 10
th July 2015,
Ed is making history as the first solo artist without a backing band to headline at the prestigious stadium.
He speaks about a recent complaint someone made after a show in the US who claimed he was performing to a backing track. Before playing any further, Ed confirms that everything is live; just one man and his loop pedal. From ‘Drunk’ to ‘Lego House’ to ‘Photograph’, every note is so flawlessly executed it’s easy to see why some would assume it’s not live.
‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ is impossible to forget thanks to dazzling lights and Ed’s quickening guitar strums and bangs making for an almightly crescendo. ‘Thinking Out Loud’ is also a highlight, as the huge audience sings along to every word without being prompted.
Arguably the most memorable and exciting moment of the evening comes when
Ed surprises everyone by inviting
Elton John onto stage, referring to him as
“someone who’s helped me a lot throughout my career.” With
Elton on piano (wearing a glittery jacket and huge glasses, of course) the pair sing unique versions of
‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ and
‘Afire Love’, becoming a remarkable double act for one night only.
Closing his two-hour set with big tune ‘Sing’, Ed leaves the crowd echoing his “Ooh woah”s around the stadium for minutes after he’s left the stage – a hint at the lasting impression this show will make on all those who attended.
It almost feels cliché to keep talking about how he is just one man with a guitar but tonight proves further that his incredible success is so well deserved. His ability to move and excite so many people at once is truly inspirational and a credit to his song writing and obvious hard work. This may be one of the biggest nights in
Ed Sheeran’s career so far but it certainly doesn’t feel like the last.
