Sweating On The Stage: Ed Sheeran heats up the Mann

Ed Sheeran | Photo by Morgan Smith | phobymo.com

Armed with nothing but a guitar, a loop station and a hell of a lot of charm, Ed Sheeran took to the Mann Center stage this past Tuesday. Philly was just one stop on his international, 179 show X-Tour, but Sheeran made the night as memorable as possible for the sold out crowd. While performing in 90 degree heat, the line from his song “Take It Back” that goes “Now I’m sweating on the stage of a sold out tour” never rang truer, but Sheeran didn’t let the heat stop him from delivering a high energy 2 hour set.

From the front row to the very back of the lawn, the audience was capitvated from beginning to end as Sheeran single handedly recreated his songs on the loop station.  Although he spent most of the night showcasing his most recent album X, opening the night with “I’m a Mess” and “Don’t,” he made sure to play some favorites from his 2011 album, +, including  “The A-team” and “Drunk.” He asked the crowd to join in and create harmonies with him for “Give Me Love” and also asked for silence as he belted out the beginning of “Afire Love.”

Whether he was serenading everyone with ballads like “Lego House” and “Tenerife Sea,” delivering quick paced rap verses from “Take It Back” or paying homage to his influences with some covers of “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Superstition,”  Sheeran could be seen smiling throughout his entire set. He even let the crowd know much he was enjoying his stay in Philadelphia, which of course included eating at least two “very, very greasy” cheesesteaks. Sheeran’s shining personality, genuinely sunny disposition and constant audience interaction made for an engaging and somehow intimate show – even with a sold out crowd of 14,000 fans.

Setlist
I’m a Mess
Lego House
Don’t / No Diggity / Nina
Drunk
Take It Back / Superstition / Ain’t No Sunshine
Photograph
Bloodstream
Tenerife Sea
Thinking Out Loud
Feeling Good / I See Fire
Afire Love
The A Team
Give Me Love

Encore:
You Need Me, I Don’t Need You / In Da Club / Fancy
Sing