Ed Sheeran Brings the Divide World Tour to Arizona
Early 2017 brought all of its attention to Ed Sheeran’s musical return after a year-long break. His reappearance to both social media and the pop music scene brought a new sound along, while keeping his signature components as well. “Shape of You” marked Sheeran’s return with a catchy rhythm and melody that we couldn’t get out of our heads. Along with the announcement of his new album Divide, he released multiple, summer world tour dates for him to showcase his reborn talent.
Sheeran paid a visit back to Glendale, Arizona on August 5, 2017 at Gila River Arena (where he had opened for Taylor Swift’s Red Tour three years prior). The stadium was crowded with a variety of audience members ranging from children in their primary years to teenage girls to adults. Its capacity was definitely filled near its maximum; the nearly-sold out show had high expectations that people all around the state had to experience themselves.
The night began with an opening set from singer-songwriter James Blunt, known for his popular 2000’s hit “Beautiful.” He was a fitting opener for Sheeran’s tour based on his laid-back acoustic guitar vibe during his performances. While he first appeared to be unheard of to the audience at the beginning, his performances of “Beautiful” and “Bonfire Heart” had the crowd singing along to every line.
After prepping the stage for Ed’s set, our headliner had no hesitation to jump right into the show. Sheeran stepped on stage right after the lights of the arena turned down low; his opening song “Castle on the Hill” didn’t have as much anticipation or compelling entry as the other concerts I’ve experienced, but the excitement from the crowd was still there. He and his guitar kicked off the night while the devoted audience sang along to every one of Sheeran’s lyrics. The tens of screens that were displayed behind him and the stage created a kaleidoscope-like appearance that grabbed the audience’s attention during Sheeran’s set. After welcoming the audience with his lively performance, he transitioned into his dynamic song “Eraser” from his most recent album Divide. His quick, rap-like lyrics added momentum to his passionate, guitar-driven instrumentals. Sheeran had the crowd engaged; he made sure to keep their attention by maintaining a balance between the old and the new during his set. The crowd sang along and shined their flashlights above their heads during “The A Team”-- one of Sheeran’s breakout singles that defined himself as a singer-songwriter. His soothing vocals serenaded the audience alongside his guitar while the crowd sang along to every word.
Sheeran’s set was primarily focused on the most recent releases from Divide, which led him to perform a popular majority of the album’s track list. The night consisted of a lively medley of “Don’t” and “New Man”-- a medley that effectively represents Sheeran’s transition from one era to another--”Happier,” “Dive,” and “Galway Girl.” His set brought excitement and energy to the audience when heperformed “Dive,” the mellow yet dynamic tune. Sheeran’s vocals crooned to the crowd as they sang along. Next was the melancholic “Happier.” As he sang to the emotional lyrics, Ed Sheeran was backed by the stirring guitar and played with every ounce of passion he had.
The concert continued with the energetic and modern “Galway Girl,” which was filled with traditional Irish-influences throughout. The resonating, quick-paced guitar hyped up the crowd and got them dancing. As the energy faded, Sheeran transitioned into a calm and melodious portion of the night that consisted of slower songs. He acknowledged Divide once again with his soulful performance of “How Would You Feel (Paean),” accompanied on piano by one of the tour’s crew members. The piano brought tenderness to the performance alongside Sheeran’s mellow guitar and smooth vocals. The audience swayed along to the rhythm and shined their flashlights in the air, creating the appearance of a summer night’s starry sky. The mood transferred to the heart-felt “Photograph,” one of Sheeran’s best-known singles from the past five years. Polaroid-like images were displayed on the screens behind him as he serenaded the crowd with the touching lyrics and his passionate voice.
Images of rose petals fluttered down on the screen during “Perfect,” another single from the 2017 album, and the sound of the audience’s singing was heard throughout the arena. Sheeran brought the lively spirit back during engaging performances of “Nancy Mulligan” and “Sing.” During “Nancy Mulligan,” Irish influences dominated the song once again, but added charisma and character to Sheeran’s unique style. As he sang the love story of his grandparents, Ed used every piece of energy he had to get the crowd involved with his singing. This vibrancy was reflected in “Sing” as well; the audience echoed Sheeran’s catchy melodies as he strummed his heart out on the guitar
Ed returned for an encore starting with his charismatic single “Shape of You,” which is the song he released to mark his return to touring. As he started to use a looping tool to match all the unique harmonies of the original song, he noticed that something wasn’t right. He felt that his performance wasn’t good enough for the audience; he believed that they deserved the best performance possible. The crowd was supportive of his decision and still maintained the same excitement they felt before the song started. After restarting the song, each crowd member sang along with Sheeran and cheered him on during the performance. Ed Sheeran ended his set with “You Need Me, I Don't Need You,” a fast-paced, thrilling song from his debut album. The night ended on an exciting note with a colorful array of lights coming from the stage and Sheeran’s passionate vocals. The audience left with a concert they'll never forget, one filled with their favorite, dance-worthy songs created by the talented Ed Sheeran
Set:
Castle on the Hill
Eraser
The A Team
Don’t / New Man
Dive
Bloodstream
Happier
Galway Girl
Feeling Good/ I See Fire
How Would You Feel (Paean)
Photograph
Perfect
Nancy Mulligan
Thinking Out loud
Sing
Encore:
Shape of You
You Need Me, I Don't Need You