Score: 5/5
Renowned artist Ed Sheeran played the final three shows of his Loop Tour in Toronto at the Rogers Centre from Aug. 20 to Aug. 22. While concerts performed by modern music artists are known for being large productions, Sheeran’s took an entirely different approach. With just his guitar and a custom-built multi-track loop station, he turned a stadium filled with roughly 50,000 people into something far more intimate — as if they were watching him perform in his own studio.
Sheeran also brought up special guests, including Beoga, who joined him performing hits like “Galway Girl” and “Nancy Mulligan” from his album ÷ (otherwise known as Divide) and Isaac Slade, former lead singer of the rock band The Fray, to sing the popular hit “How to Save a Life.”
“I’m in Love with the Shape of” LOOP
Sheeran’s loop station was the MVP of his concert. Rather than relying on a back track for his songs, Sheeran builds the beats himself live in front of the audience. He records a guitar note, beat, vocal or any sound, loops it, and then continuously layers additional sounds on top until he has successfully created the track that he needs to start singing to. Viewers would be surprised at how many notes and sounds Sheeran can create using nothing but his guitar.
One of the best examples of him showcasing his skills alongside this loop station was when he performed the song “Don’t” from his second studio album X (otherwise known as Multiply). Sheeran layered his vocals for the chorus and added the extra sounds with his guitar extraordinarily.
What could have been a simple performance of one of his well-known songs became a showcase of how much effort it took into creating and building the instrumentals and vocals behind it.
The process is impressive on its own but watching him do it live makes it even more remarkable. During the concert, we don’t see Sheeran as a singer but more as someone showcasing the mastery of his craft — like athletes in their zone or artists working on a painting. Sheeran’s musical knowledge truly bared its fangs and was the highlight of this tour.
Some “Perfect” nostalgia and storytelling
Sheeran might not be my favourite artist, but he is one I, alongside anyone my age, grew up listening to. And what made this concert special was how I was able to relive the memories and emotions I connected to his music. As someone who grew up listening to songs like “Shape of You,” “Photograph,” “Thinking Out Loud” and “Perfect,” hearing them performed live made the experience feel strangely nostalgic.
Listening to “Castle on the Hill” for the first time in a while brought tears to my eyes. The song, which is about growing up, made me reflect on the memories and relationships I’ve lost since high school as well as the emotions that came with returning home after spending two years away in university.
However, one of the most underrated parts of Sheeran’s concerts is not the music itself, but the stories he tells between songs.
For example, before performing his hit collaboration with Justin Bieber, “I Don’t Care,” Sheeran told the audience about how he was able to convince a reluctant Bieber to film the music video. To convince him, Sheeran proposed a simple solution where he and his team would fly to Bieber’s home with a green screen and a box of costumes and film the entire thing there. The unusual and fun idea got Bieber to agree.
How we see him “Thinking Out Loud”
Sheeran also shared how music served as a therapy for him when his life became rough. Sheeran told the story behind one of his recent hits, “Eyes Closed,” from his 2023 album Deluxe. The song was written following the death of Jamal Edwards, a music entrepreneur and a close friend of Sheeran’s. The song, although sounding more upbeat and catchy, deals with grief and the difficulty of moving forward after losing someone close to you. Hearing the story made his performance of this song emotional and fostered a moment where audiences could relate to him, especially those who have dealt with this kind of grief.
That vulnerability is part of what makes Sheeran’s music so relatable. During the concert, he explained that he believes the raw, vulnerable and sometimes embarrassing details he puts into his lyrics are often what listeners connect with most. His music may be personal, but the experiences he writes about — love, heartbreak, grief and happiness — are familiar to thousands of people listening to him.
That connection was perhaps the biggest takeaway from the concert. Sheeran managed to make an audience of roughly 50,000 people feel like he was speaking directly to them.
Toward the end of the show, he even wore a Toronto Blue Jays jersey, paying respect a to the city and stadium that hosted his final Loop Tour performance.
—
By the end of the night, thousands of people had learned more about Sheeran’s life, the motivations behind his songs and the personal moments that inspired them. It felt as though he were performing each song for the first time, sharing with us the stories and feelings that brought them to life.
Walking away from the concert, I felt the same emotions from songs I loved now and as a kid, while also falling in love with songs that I never heard before. It’s been almost three weeks since the concert and I’ve been listening to Ed Sheeran on constant repeat.
Sheeran’s Loop Tour proves that sometimes the most impressive concert production is simply watching an artist create music right in front of you.