I still remember the first time Ed Sheeran was introduced to me — I was sitting in the bedroom of one of my high school best friends when when one of them searched a music video on youtube then asked us to watch it. When we went home, I couldn't recall how many times I watched and listened to his songs again and again. From then on, since 2012, I am loving Ed.
People close to me know that I am not a fan of mainstream music; unfortunately, last 2015, Ed's Thinking Out Loud hit Philippines so hard that wherever you go, you'd hear it. I hate that trend so much, I lie my fandom to hiatus. But he always crawls back to my heart, 'cause you know, it's Ed Sheeran.
I found my friend, Niel, waiting for me near the entrance. We hurriedly entered and find a spot where we can see better since we only had a gen ad pass. We did found a good spot. Niel told me that I was the one who influenced him to become an Ed Sheeran fan. I am truly honored. Hahahaha. Kidding aside, it feels good having a friend who you chase your dreams with, may it be the little ones or the stars.
To give you a perspective how far we were from the stage, see the photo above. Ed was really like an ant man to the people from gen ad. Thanks to the screens, we still saw him. Nevertheless, the quality of his voice and his performance were still on point. Funny, while his fans were waiting, every time there's a little movement from the stage, people would cheer and shout, hoping it was Ed. At 9pm, Ed finally entered the stage and sang his first song, Castle on the Hills. You could never imagine how wild it was.
I sang to every song. I took all the videos and photos I could. I made sure to feel the moment, every inch of it. I was so happy, my smile was tattooed on my face. I think I had never shouted my heart out so loud. Once, I screamed, "I love youuuu, Eddddd!!" and I was so surprised that he responded TO ME. He said, "Thank you." Everyone around me turned their heads to me, teasing me that Ed said thank you to me. I was so lucky.
The most emotional moment for me was when Ed Sheeran sang "A Team." I know it was about a prostitute addicted to a drug known as Class A, but it means more to me than that. It's about a woman who desperately wants to forget, struggling to stay alive, and always dying to fly. It's my song. So when I finally heard Ed sing it live, I want to scream 'thank you', thank him for helping me accept the past I could never erase and that despite anything I go through, there's a song I can always relate to.
I heard that some singers are not that good when they sing live. Definitely Ed Sheeran is not one of them; he was even better live!!! He was so good that during his first song, I had multiple goosebumps and I can't stop jumping and screaming, teary-eyed. And the fact that he was a one-man team, he played everything and recorded it all live, was unbelievable! Such a talented man. Despite his talents, you can feel his humility by the way he talked. I love this man so much. I hope to meet him in person someday.
Ed Sheeran's concert was my first concert with an international Hollywood singer; the concerts I usually go to before were either Christian bands or local indie bands. It was just then that I discovered the reason why some people always go to concerts — it is magical. Aside from the magic the artist brings, the people around you are wonderful. You sing with them, you dance with them, scream and cheer and get tired and even cry with these strangers. For a brief moment, the unity in your interests lift all the strangeness away, and you are all gather for the same reason — meet the one you listen to on spotify, and have so much fun.
Would I ever want to go to Ed Sheeran's concert again? ABSOLUTELY. Ed gave me a night I will remember from my twenties when I grow old, when I pass his music to my grandchild, another story to tell. I had doubts before whether if I just wasted my money, but I was wrong. No money is worth the experience of singing with your teenage favorite singer, and singing with other hundreds of people. I went home with a tired body, yet a very fulfilled younger version of me. It was worth it, Ed Sheeran was worth it.
"Should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough for me."
THANK YOU FOR READING!
