It’s not every day you get to see one of pop music’s biggest names in an intimate venue. By the time artists like this reach world-renowned status, they have already moved on to arenas or stadiums and thus become small dots on a stage for those in the majority of the seats.
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Ed Sheeran has been selling-out stadiums the world over for the past few years, bringing his Mathematics project to the masses via fireworks and grandiose production. While we fete his ability to put on a high-energy stadium show, it holds little resemblance to the earliest days of his career.
When Sheeran first came into an unsuspecting music scene, he was armed with just a guitar, a loop pedal, and his singular songwriting voice. While most of the music world was focusing on creating the next big dance hit, Sheeran was bringing a true singer-songwriter sense back around for a new generation.
Sheeran threw things back to those days at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Friday night (July 22), playing a stripped-back show prior to his highly-anticipated night at Nissan Stadium. The same trend has popped up throughout Sheeran’s current tour. He plays an intimate gig the night before taking on each city’s biggest venue.
“The stadium shows are this big communal event,” Sheeran told the crowd in Nashville. “These nights, I find them really special, as a songwriter. All that I ever wanted as a kid was for people to listen. I wanted to play a show like this and be able to explain to you what the songs are about.”
The first half of the night Sheeran dubbed “Sad hour”—the preamble to “Happy Hour,” which he assured the audience would be coming around towards the end of the night. “Sad Hour” consisted of the majority of his latest record, Subtract.
The album arrived earlier this year and introduced the world to a grieving Sheeran. While most of his albums consist of love songs, break-up songs, and any relationship status in between, Subtract sees the singer take on something a little heavier.
As Sheeran noted from the stage, he has been working on different versions of Subtract for the last ten years. Though it was originally intended to be the follow-up to his debut album, Plus, Sheeran kept being whisked away to other projects, leaving Subtract to close out his Mathematics series a decade into it.
The album was born out of a month in Sheeran’s life when everything seems to come at him all at once. Around the same time, he lost a best friend suddenly and his wife was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant with their first child. It was a blow to Sheeran’s life expectations and launched him into a grieving period he hadn’t ever experienced prior.
That emotion is rife within Subtract. Prior to each song of the album, Sheeran explained to the audience what was going through his mind while he wrote the track, each story as heartbreaking and poignant as the last. The power Sheeran infused in his performance was easily understandable.
Sheeran opened the show in a way few of his peers would dare to do. His equipment faltered right as he walked on stage and instead of opting for a fumbling start, Sheeran unplugged his guitar and decided to perform “Boat” acoustically. He showed total command of the crowd, getting a room full of ravenous fans to go completely quiet so he could sing the ballad without amplification.
The Ryman was originally built for choirs and sing-a-longs. A voice carries throughout the auditorium, no amps necessary—though many don’t take advantage of that fact. Sheeran brought the classic spirit of the Mother Church back to its hallowed halls for a moment.
Sheeran was backed by a tight band that featured a rousing string section. One of the highlights of “Sad Hour” came, once again, after Sheeran’s equipment faltered and he was forced to sing “Colourblind” acoustically with the band in tow.
Sheeran explained to the crowd that the track was inspired by his parents’ 40-year love, which has gone through many shades throughout that time. While many pop songs focus on the heat of the moment, Sheeran creates an ode to time-honed love with this track.
It was almost cinematic the way the band followed Sheeran’s acoustic lead. Each of their parts was more distinctive without the soundboard mixing it all together. In the middle of the song, Sheeran’s tech got put back online and he immediately jumped back into electric mode—the band followed suit. It was a test of true musicianship and Sheeran’s commitment to performing without any backing tracks.
Subtract needs to live in a venue such as this. While his fans going to Nissan would likely be more than happy to hear the album in such a setting, Subtract is allowed room to breathe when the songs are not bolstered by flashy production.
“Happy hour” did come around just as promised. During this segment of the show, Sheeran brought out some old fan favorites including “The A Team,” “Shivers,” “Castle on the Hill,” “Bloodstream,” and “Perfect.”
It was also during this section that Sheeran decided to make the night a special one by debuting two new songs. Per the singer’s request, the new material is being kept a secret between the audience members in attendance at the Ryman. All that can be said about them at this point is that they continue Sheeran’s string of finely crafted pop songs that work just as well on a surface level as they do when being dissected for a deeper meaning.
Customary for Sheeran, he jumped down into the audience to help close out the show with a performance of the traditional Irish song “The Parting Glass” and his own “Afterglow.”
Sheeran seemed to be beaming after his final bow, calling the night “one of his favorite moments of the last five years.” Nashville concerts always bring special energy. Sheeran felt it last night at the Ryman and, trust me, the feeling was mutual from the crowd.
Photos: Mark Surridge / Atlantic Records
