This Halloween Night was indeed full of treats and tricks by one of the world’s most popular genius attractions – Ed Sheeran. To me, Sheeran is one of the best songwriters of this generation and he also does have exceptional singing capabilities. But when Sheeran took the stage at the New Orleans Superdome, for the final leg of his Divide Tour, the NOLA crowd got to see his out-of-the-world musical and acoustic prowess.
After excellent opening acts by Lauv and Snow Patrol, Ed Sheeran, who was rocking a zombie Prince Harry costume, made a royal entry with his multi-platinum single Castle in the Hill. Sheeran is an incredible talent, literally a one-man-band. To perform a full show of 2 hours at the Superdome only by himself on the stage – yes, no bands following him – is no mean feat. Armed with a loop station and guitar, Sheeran stacked and merged musical elements created using his voice, hands, and the notes from his guitar. He harmonized himself and used percussive thumps on his guitar as beats. It was nothing less than magical.
Couples fell in love all over again with Thinking out Loud. Photograph brought back memories of childhood, as we got to see Sheeran as a kid in the photos. His voice is magnificent which he showcased masterfully in his stripped-down romantic ballads like Happier and Perfect. And then there was the marvelous A-Team which had introduced me to this wonderful talent. This song brings out his signature style and highlights his ability to tell stories. Ed Sheeran’s brand of songwriting is golden and his ability to capture people’s deepest thoughts in his music makes him one of the most beloved artists of this era.
The end was epic too with Sheeran swapping his Halloween costume with a Saints jersey, as he literally brought down the house with Shape of You. Ed Sheeran might not be a John Mayer or a Freddie Mercury but he is versatile and honest and extremely gifted in his skills. This Halloween, I witnessed some tender moments, quirky giggles, stomping funs, and an extraordinary flex of musical talent; yeah, it was a performance for the ages.