By Stephanie Alexander
Staff Writer
On September 27, British singer/song-writer Ed Sheeran had a special radio promotion performance at the Loft in the Palladium Ballroom for 102.9 NOW for winning callers only.
The competition started Sep 10 and ended the week of the show with various raffles.
On September 22 I was the winning caller 10 for tickets to the show and qualified for VIP Meet and Greet, which I also won.
It wasn’t a full-fledged concert, like he’ll have at the Palladium on the Jan. 18. Sheeran played five songs with mini Q&A sessions in between. The set list for the night was Lego House, Wayfaring Stranger, Give Me Love, The A-Team, and You Need Me, I Don’t Need You.
It was a very intimate environment with what seemed to be about 300 people. Sheeran began the show with some rules;
1. No fan girl screaming (which still happened anyway) as he explained he’s not an intense person and the songs are low, slow and quiet. Just light “Ahh’s”
2. No angry shushing, just lightly stroke the person on the shoulder (This was actually directed at me, since I did angrily shush a group of screaming girls across the loft.)
After laying out the rules, Sheeran went straight into Lego House.
I’ve been to concerts of all genres and types, but I have never been to a show that was so raw and genuine.
I have his music on my phone and it’s nothing compared to what I witnessed that night. Even when he sang some parts without a microphone, guitar or a backtrack, it was just simply mesmerizing. His voice alone filled the whole loft from left to right and back to front with such pure noise.
He gave some great advice on follow your dreams while you’re young, and really pushed the audience to start getting experience in their desired career path. I was inspired in general by these words.
After he preformed his hit single The A-Team, it was my turn to ask him my question. I went up on stage and was greeted with a hug and a British “How ya doin?”.
I asked him whom his musical influences were. He replied with British folk music, The Beatles, Van Morrison, etc. I was trying to pay attention and retain what he was saying, but I couldn’t help but admire his accent. The questions asked from the selected winners ranged from “What inspires you to write your music” to “If you were a fruit, what would it be”.
Listening to Ed Sheeran on the radio, or on my iPod is not the same as hearing him live. You can tell he sings from his heart and soul. That is just what musicians should be like. I will be there at his actual show in January and I highly suggest you give him a listen if you haven’t already
