Ed Sheeran

He’s talented boy the 24-year old from Suffolk. Ed Sheeran lit up the stage last night in Washington DC with an energetic high tech one man band show. His 2-hour set delivered the whole range of his songs using a whole mix of styles. 

We were in a box exactly opposite the stage at the Verizon Center, a hockey and basketball stadium by day. Sheeran was surrounded by large screens showing an impressive light and image show and the young audience mixed with the odd parent were enthralled.

The lithe Christina Perri opened. She had a very fine voice, a singer-songwriter like Sheeran, she will hope that he can open doors like Taylor Swift did for Sheeran. Perri played for about 40 minutes but ended with songs Human and A Thousand Years, which I knew.

About 8.30pm Sheeran walked onto the stage and introduced himself like he was in a meeting. He won’t be doing that for long. The show was flamboyant but Sheeran is not. Dressed in a checked shirt looking like he’d forgotten his beard trimer he talked easily and engagingly with the crowd thanking them for coming out despite the Pope’s visit putting America’s capital in lockdown.

Sheeran switched between guitars, banging it furiously one minute, singing a ballad the next. He rapped, rocked, sung the blues and covered Stevie Wonder without missing a beat. Very Claptonesque I thought.

During Bloodstream from his new album, the stage looked as if it was going to blow as the ginger one shined on stage. I was impressed. I have always said that going to a gig or concert can make or break my opinion of a performer forever, especially when I don’t know what to expect. Ed Sheeran will be around for a long time and he has a new fan.