Review: Ed Sheeran at Optus Stadium

Ed Sheeran at Optus Stadium
Sunday, March 12, 2023
w/ Budjerah, Maisie Peters

One of the world’s biggest music stars, Ed Sheeran, drew an historic crowd of fans to Optus Stadium on Sunday night as his + – = ÷ x Tour rolled into Perth.

The show opened with the rich, soulful voice of up-and-coming Australian Budjerah, whose resonant tones elevated his music beyond the simple electro-pop arrangements. Following this, Maisie Peters skipped onto the stage, a palpable bundle of vivacious and effervescent energy, her songs a rumination on lost love and new beginnings.

“I have grown up, I am a father now. Everything has changed, but I am still the same somehow,” declared Ed Sheeran as he burst onto the stage to a packed crowd of 75,000 at Optus Stadium. Hearing the opening to Tides felt prescient and precise – Sheeran is still the same intimate solo artist but now his live presence is accompanied by a grandiose set.

Surrounded by towering pillars and guitar-pick screens that appear to float beside the stage, Sheeran danced and strode around a huge rotating stage accompanied by a tight, energetic, five-piece band. A circular screen above the stage displayed bright visuals, and the energy continued as Sheeran shifted into Blow, a raucous, 70s rock number that displayed his versatile vocals.

From here, the show was stripped back to Sheeran’s signature solo loops, and the audience leapt to their feet, eagerly dancing and singing along to favourites like Castle on the Hill, Visiting Hours, and The A-Team.

The massive stage did a disservice to Sheeran's performance. While the spectacle was impressive, his presence was swallowed by his set. Those close to the stage were able to ignore the spectacle and focus on Sheeran’s energetic performance, however, those seated at the edge of the stadium were left squinting at a tiny figure and the show lost the intimate atmosphere of his early performances.

Clad in a shirt that read ‘Perth,’ Sheeran displayed humility and gratitude for his audience throughout the night, though his words were undercut by a relentless echo that left his words muddled, forcing him to speak in short halting sentences to be understood.

That aside, Sheeran’s ability to layer keys, guitar, vocals, and percussion is still as impressive as ever. A notable highlight was Give Me Love, which Sheeran steered into an epic wall-of-sound climax that palpably resonated through the audience.

Sheeran’s band was back soon enough, accompanying him through a medley of collaborations including Own It/PERU/Beautiful People/I Don't Care, and he invited Tina Hizon to rosin up her bow and lead into the jaunty jig Galway Girl.

To close the show, Sheeran reserved crowd favourites Shape of You, Bad Habits, and You Need Me, I Don’t Need You, the latter of which devolved from a crisp, energetic performance to a drawn-out climax that overstayed its welcome – though that wasn't enough to mar the fantastic overall experience.

If you didn’t manage to see Ed Sheeran on this recent tour, be sure to pick up a ticket next time he ventures down under – you won’t be left dissatisfied.

MATT SABERHAGEN

Photos by Stu McKay