Deborah McArthur fills us in on one of her all-time favourite gigs ever.
Ed Sheeran, lyrical genius in my eyes, sold out across his three nights at the Glasgow Barrowlands. I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the 3rd night which incidentally also closed his UK tour. The venue was packed very early, which for a Friday night gig is unusual, normally people are in the bar until after 9pm, arriving just in time for the main act, instead the crowd were there getting their spot to enjoy the many talented acts to grace the stage.
My friend and I arrived at 8pm so we could see Foy Vance, I’d seen him before at the Oran Mor and remembered his soulful tones and knew my friend would like him as well. Sheeran said during his set that he is lucky enough to pick his support acts and so he chooses people he would like to watch. The support acts were great guitar playing singer songwriters; both of whom made an appearance during Sheeran’s set to duet with him. The whole evening had an air of musical brilliance as though we were all friends watching a jamming session.
Sheeran’s set started with ‘My Mind’ and he got straight into working the crowd splitting us into two so we all collaborated to make a 3-part harmony and for two girls who can’t sing, my friend and I belted out our higher harmony with pride – well it would have been rude not too. That was the start of several audience participation sections: we sang, acted, hugged and danced with a complete stranger. There was a buzz in the air, people were geed up for a cracking night and Sheeran quickly realised he wasn’t going to get complete silence for the more poignant songs shouting “It’s Glasgow on a Friday night, let’s just have a rowdy time!” to which the crowd went mad.
Sheeran’s tone is beautiful, he sounds even better live than on his album and to watch him up on stage alone creating the same quality music that a whole band would make was amazing. His use of a looping pedal, harmonies and beat boxing filled the room. He was literally a one-man band which I wasn’t expecting; I thought he would have had a few other sessional players around him but I’m glad he didn’t, as seeing him alone on stage was magical. His delivery of lyrics, the speed, the passion, the intensity, the clarity, were all signs of a talented musician.
There isn’t one bad track on the album, which is clear from the fact he has released 6 singles from it. This also meant we were singing the whole time, hit after hit bellowed out such as U.N.I, Drunk, Small Bump, The City, Lego House. My favourites being You Need Me, I Don’t Need You and A Team the evening couldn’t get any better....... or could it?! Yes it could. Sheeran started singing Paolo Nutini’s Candy, saying “seeing as I’m in Scotland” then after a few lines into the song he introduced Mr Nutini himself onto the stage; the place erupted! Ed Sheeran and Paolo Nutini on stage singing together – I died and went to heaven.
This is up there with my favourite gigs of all time Jay Z, Vampire Weekend, Paolo Nutini, Calvin Harris and now Ed Sheeran.
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