Ed Sheeran played two sold out shows in the 3Arena on the 12th and 13th of this month. The English singer has a huge following in Ireland, and has dedicated two songs on his latest album, to his love of Ireland.
Sheeran had two support acts, Irish singer Ryan McMullan and the chart topping Anne-Marie, whose collaboration with Clean Bandit landed the coveted Christmas number one spot. The two acts really warmed up the crowd with their performances.
At 20:30, the man himself got on stage opening his set with his single, Castle on the Hill. Over his two hour performance he manages to captivate the crowd, leaving people screaming at the top of their lungs and even assisted with a marriage proposal.
The last time he played Dublin, he headlined two nights in Croke Park. One man, a guitar, a loop pedal and the material of two albums, a feat for many performers seems out of reach. After rising to fame in 2011 with his first single The A-Team, he has been on an upward trajectory. His year off only left his fans begging for more.
As he belted out hit after hit, the crowd became more and more frenzied, screaming his lyrics right back at him. From his first album to his most recent he blasted through his set-list, bringing the crowd on a journey with him.
He brought Beoga on stage with him to perform his two trad inspired songs, Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan, sending the crowd into a tizzy. Irish flags were flown in the crowd, as the whole audience got to their feet to scream these tracks at the top of their lungs. It was almost a surreal moment as the audience voices melded as one, almost drowning out Sheeran.
Ending with crowd pleaser, You Need Me, I Don’t Need You, the crowd, which had been lifted to an almost euphoric plane roared the lyrics, danced and cheered on as Sheeran entertained.
No matter your feelings about his music there is no denying his pure talent and showmanship throughout the concert. He kept the audience captivated and elevated throughout his performance.
Bronwyn O’Neill