It's been 20 years since a solo artist has sold out at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena.
John Denver was the last to achieve this feat. This time it was the red headed, tattooed, British lad Ed Sheeran accompanied by tens of thousands of screaming teenage girls, a sprinkle of boys and few courageous dads protecting their cubs (28 March).
Image © Carl NeumannIt was a panoramic stage setting at Rod Laver Arena with just Ed and his trusty guitar to entertain. During the first three songs he seemed to struggle with the alignment of his effect pedals on the floor and the position of his microphone. He looked quite frustrated as he searched with his feet, occasionally bending down to move the peddles. But this didn't throw him off as he mixed his unique variations of vocals and guitar rhythms into loops.
'Extreme-busking' would aptly fit as a description of the show as the massive, empty, black space of the stage surrounded the entertainer as the immense speakers and numerous foldbacks echoed out the street-branded tunes Ed style.
He's only got two albums to date and nearly every song was featured, much to the delight of the adoring fans. People like Ed Sheeran are incredible artists and too rare. I'm sure even John Denver would be impressed. Especially tonight when Ed sings until he loses his voice while he shrugs of a pesky cold – unlike other acts who cancel at the drop of a sneeze.
Ed Sheeran Setlist
I'm A MessLego House
Don't Nina / No Diggity (Blackstreet cover)
Drunk
Take It Back
Superstition (Stevie Wonder cover)
Photograph
Bloodstream
Tenerife Sea
Thinking Out Loud
Feeling Good
I See Fire
The A Team
Give Me Love
Encore
You Need Me, I Don't Need YouFancy
Sing
