To start things off, Ed had two opening acts, Christina Perri (who I was now seeing the second time around), and Jamie Lawson who is the first ever artist to be signed on to Ed's recording label, Gingerbread Records. Jamie has a single called "Wasn't Expecting That" and let's just say I really wasn't expecting to love his music as much as I do now. This was Jamie's first ever U.S. performance and he absolutely killed it. He has a very charming personality that allowed for a comfortable audience interaction which can be quite difficult with an artist who is just up and coming and not known very well but he very easily had everyone participating, cheering and singing along. Shoutout to Jamie for doing such a wonderful job, he's definitely an artist to watch!
After Jamie came the absolutely lovely Chirstina Perri. Ceeps is known for having songs such as "Jar of Hearts" and the beautiful "A Thousand Years," which first made its debut in the final Twilight Saga movie. I had the pleasure of seeing Christina last year on May 6th at the House of Blues and had as much of a blast now as much as I did then. The way she presents herself is just so fun. When an artist enjoys themselves and the music it is very clear to the audience and it makes the music much more appealing to listen to and Ceeps does that exactly. She has so much fun on stage that it makes you want to run up with her and just dance with her as she sings. Her songs carry so much meaning behind them that it becomes very easy to relate to many of her experiences. The 29-year-old blew my mind once again and left me in awe as she performed all these songs I got the opportunity to hear for the second time. Her stage presence grew, her love grew, her passion grew and her voice (if at all possible), grew so much more from when I previously saw her almost a year and a half ago. I will always be a fan of Christina Perri and her music, I can only hope I will have the opportunity to keep attending her shows whenever she comes to town and to watch her grow as both a person and an artist.
Last but not least, Ed Sheeran dominated the stage. For those who don't really know Ed, he's known for having composed and recorded songs such as "The A Team" and "Thinking Out Loud." If I could pinpoint the emotions coursing through me throughout his performance then I would but in all honesty I was so amazed that the whole moment felt completely unreal. Ed played a two hour long set with a good mix of his new songs and some of his older songs, along with some oldies by Stevie Wonder and Blackstreet mashed up with his music. The most incredible part of the whole show, and without a doubt my most favorite, is that on that stage it is just Ed Sheeran and a guitar. It's raw. It's genuine. It's in the moment and it's real. There is no faking it because you can't, and that's what made this particular concert my favorite one (keep in mind I have been to many), and I am almost positive it will always be my favorite.
The stage was set up with five huge panels and then a smaller elevated stage on the actual stage. Every song played had a graphic on the screen that related to the song Ed was playing, whether it was "Tenerife Sea" or "Bloodstream," each one stayed unique to each song. The audience was a good mix of young, old and everything in between, every person enjoying the music as much as the next. Out of all the songs that Ed performed, my favorite ones were definitely "Tenerife Sea" and "One" (which I haven't stopped playing if I'm quite honest). The emotion behind those two songs specifically sparks up my curiosity but makes me understand so much. Out of every artist/band I have ever listened to, I have never wanted to meet the songwriter behind the music and want to sit down with them to talk about what inspired them and just get to know them so much in my life before.
Music is my second love, it has always been a key point about me and the passion I have for it is something that drives me to live my life the way that I do. Ed Sheeran is one of those artists that inspires me to keep pushing through and keep believing in myself. No more than five to six years ago he was couch surfing and homeless, working on his music, performing and sharing his music and slowly growing into the artist he is becoming. I will always love his early stuff, and I mean the EP's and album "+," the most because he never gave up. Those songs helped him grow and learn, they brought him to where he is now, starting from the ground and working his way up. His ability to stick true to his dreams has always made me admire him more than I could ever explain. My love for music stems with my love for literature and I have a passion for both that makes me curious as to where it will take me in life. Ed inspires me to write this blog post and share it with the world. He has inspired me to keep growing and never give up. Hard work pays off and things will take the course they are meant to follow. Ed Sheeran, Christina Perri and Jamie Lawson are definitely all artists to listen to.
Here are a few pics!
JAMIE LAWSON:
CHRISTINA PERRI:
ED SHEERAN:
