The Mathematics Tour

‎Last Saturday, March 9, 2024, for the first time, I was able to witness Ed Sheeran perform live at the SMDC Festival Grounds. The concert features two other artists. One was Callum Scott, and the other was one of the Filipino prides, the band Ben & Ben. 

I was anticipating Ed Sheeran's concert here in the Philippines. I'm a fan of his songs. Who isn't, anyway? It was, I think, October last year when it was announced that he would be having a concert here. I was excited when I heard about it. Then I saw the price of his tickets. I wanted to watch him closer, but the ticket was a bit pricey. It was already the day of ticket sales when I finally decided to watch. I settled for the ticket that my wallet could afford. It's better to be there physically, even far, than to simply watch snippets of his concert through my newsfeed. Fortunately, despite the long queue online, I still scored a ticket. I was really meant to watch his concert, I thought to myself.

When I arrived at the venue, I couldn't connect to the internet. And my ticket can only be accessed online. There's an app that we need to download for the ticket. I didn't have the physical ticket. I was already worried. I'm getting impatient connecting to the internet, and I really couldn't. I thought it was just me. But when I was finally able to enter the venue, I found out that most of the concertgoers had a hard time getting a signal.

The concert started a bit earlier than usual concerts since there would be two artists performing before him. It started at 5:45 p.m. Callum Scott was the first to perform. I couldn't remember his first song since I was busy lining up to buy food. 😄 It was my first time to watch at the SMDC Festival Grounds. The vibe was, of course, totally different from the indoor arena. I felt like I was at Coachella. Just kidding. I've never been to Coachella. I just thought that's what it would feel like.

Callum Scott did a heartfelt performance of his song 'You Are The Reason.' When he sang 'Dancing On My Own' he remixed it with 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody.' 😄 We were amused with that. The sun was about to set that time, so I wasn't able to see him quite vividly since it was too bright and he's wearing a white-colored suit. His performance lasted for 40 minutes, if I remember it right. 

By 7:15 PM, Ben & Ben was the next to perform. Their opening song was upbeat to set the mood, according to them. Then they sang a few of their hit songs, including 'Leaves',  'Paninindigan Kita', and 'Araw-Araw.' I could feel that night how happy and proud they were to be able to perform as a front act for Ed Sheeran's concert. As a Filipino, I couldn't be more proud of them.

True to his words, Ed Sheeran's performance started at exactly 8:15. 

There was a countdown 15 minutes prior to his performance. It added to the excitement of the crowd. Especially when the timer hits only a minute left, then 30 seconds, and then 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. It felt like it was New Year again. Before we knew it, he was already on stage carrying his guitar and singing 'Tides', and we were all jumping with joy and excitement. We were all screaming. Adding to the hype were the fireworks at the end of his first song. I was amazed at the rotating stage. It was a brilliant idea. It made him more visible to the audience in all areas of the venue. He was a bit sentimental before he sang 'The A Team.' He shared how he used to sing it in bars with only a few people. Then eventually, it turned out to be a big hit. When he performed 'Galway Girl', there were again fireworks. He introduced Alicia to us. She danced while he was singing 'Galway Girl.' 

He was very generous with his performance. He opened his concert so full of energy, and he was able to sustain it all the way to the end. He took a break every once in a while to drink water, then he would go back to performing again. It seemed like he never ran out of energy that night. He sang a total of 28 songs. He sang 'Love Yourself', a song by Justin Bieber that he wrote. Also some of his collaborations, like 'Beautiful People'. It's one of my favorite songs of his, and that's why I was happy to hear it that night. He also sang 'I Don't Care,' 'Shape of You,' and 'Castle on the Hill.' Of course, he performed his greatest hits, including 'Thinking Out Loud' wherein he said that even our grandmothers know it, and I couldn't agree more. He also performed 'Lego House', 'Perfect,' 'Dive', and my other favorites, which are 'Happier' and 'Photograph.'  In the middle of his performance of 'Tenerife Sea,' there was suddenly a roar from the crowd on the other side of the venue. I thought someone had made a marriage proposal. But there was no proof of it. So I had no idea what really happened there. Anyway, I was so happy when he sang another favorite of mine, 'Afterglow.' That moment was magical. It was truly touching. That moment will forever stay in my memory. It was definitely one of my favorite moments that night. Plus, the cool breeze slapping on my face added to a more senti vibe. 

Ed Sheeran didn't end the night without inviting Ben and Ben on stage. They sang together the latter's song, 'Maybe the Night.' I know how happy Ben and Ben were at that moment. I mean, it's truly an honor to be singing with the person you idolize and who inspires you in some way. I'm so happy for them. It's truly a chance of a lifetime.

His concert ended with his performance of 'Bad Habits.' There were fireworks again. It was also one of the best parts, the incorporating of fireworks. It was the first time I had witnessed a concert like that. It was definitely a concert I would never want to miss. That's why I'm happy that God didn't allow me to miss it, despite my reluctance. It was all worth it. I was standing for almost 5 hours, but it's totally worth it. What warmed my heart that night was when he showed his appreciation to us. He told us that we could have been somewhere else that night, but we chose to attend his concert. He also appreciated those who were living far away but went there just to see him. I admired him for that. For me, it showed how he truly loves his fans. And for that, Ed Sheeran, I will be loving you 'til we're 70 or more. 😊 (Cause we're practically of the same age, you're just older than me by 7 months. 😄) Thank you for that one spectacular night.

au revoir. 😊