“Did she say yes?”
Ed Sheeran, summer 2017
2017 was a good year for concerts: Ed Sheeran in the summer, and Blue October in the fall.
We were excited driving to the venue. It was the summer of 2017, and Mom, Abbie, and I were going to see Ed Sheeran play in a huge auditorium. We were excited because this was the second concert for Abbie and me. Mom joked that we should listen to Ed’s music on the way down, because she didn’t know all of his songs. The three of us love Sheeran’s music: his love ballads, and his ode to friends in “Castle on the Hill.” Mom had not been to a concert in a long time. This was just as much fun for her as it was for us.
James Blunt and his band opened for Ed Sheeran. They had heartfelt, if at times angst-riddled, song lyrics. Blunt and his band worked really well together. Unlike the guy who reviewed Ed in the Star Tribune, I thought they were all in sync with each other. They did a really good job of setting the stage for Ed Sheeran.
When Ed took the stage, I was impressed with how well he held the massive crowd before him. He didn’t seem nervous at all, and was amazing at interacting with the audience. With a peddle at his feet, and a guitar strapped to his back, he captivated all of us with his kindness and generous amounts of humor.
Throughout the evening, romantic songs were interspersed amid his latest hits, as well as old favorites. These romantic songs brought forth at least four or five proposals. During the first one, Sheeran asked the crowd, “Did she say yes?” This has stuck with me, years later, because it showed how genial Sheeran is as a person. He cares about his audience, and wished the engaged couples happiness in their future together. He also joked about how there’s a record he wanted to beat concerning the proposals. (I forget how many the current record was at the time, but it’s definitely a thing that happens at his shows.)
I loved his stage setup, full of bright colors and unique patterns that would move like a carousel. The stage was otherwise bear, making it very apparent that Sheeran was up there on his own. He held his own though with that large empty stage, and made it seem like there was nothing to being a singer-songwriter. He made it all look very easy.
Ed Sheeran comes off as a guy you could hang out with anywhere. You could grab ice cream, or a beer with him. He’s genial and funny. He’s a kind-heated man who isn’t afraid to show it. His music reflects his personality, even the part of him that is self-doubting.
The concert flew by, and we stood for at least two hours. But what a wonderful two hours! When Ed walked off stage, I felt a little bummed, because I got gotten used to listening to him sing and rap, and tell me stories in between his songs. His voice compelled me, and spoke to me. He made us all laugh and sing along. We held up our cell phones, with our flashlights on, so that he could see how many people were in the venue. It was beautiful, with our firefly lights glowing, lighting up the stadium.
Thank you, Ed for a wonderful evening. Thank you for coming to the States, and Minneapolis. You’re a fantastic artist, and a good guy. Thank you for sharing your music with us on your Divide tour.
The Nerdy Nook 