Shillong: Massive lines of enthusiastic fans stretched from JN Stadium to the Polo area of Shillong as global music icon Ed Sheeran made his highly anticipated debut performance in the city on February 12. The historic event, hailed as northeast India’s biggest international concert to date, saw thousands of fans gathering to witness the Grammy-winning artist perform live.
Sheeran, sporting a custom “Shillong” t-shirt, mesmerized the crowd with his signature loop station techniques, creating each track in real time. “Nothing is pre-recorded,” he told the audience, demonstrating how he meticulously layers beats, melodies, and harmonies to build his songs from scratch.
The concert kicked off with “Castle on the Hill” and featured an electrifying setlist, including hits like “Shivers,” “Perfect,” and “Photograph.” At one point, as the opening notes of “Perfect” played, the crowd’s overwhelming chorus nearly overpowered Sheeran’s own vocals. Touched by the moment, he declared, “Shillong, you are by far the loudest audience.”
Earlier in the evening, opening act Kayan set the mood with performances of “Cool Kids” and an acoustic rendition of “Iris” before Sheeran took the stage against the backdrop of a breathtaking Shillong sunset. The show, part of his ongoing + – = ÷ x Tour, marks his first visit to northeast India. Before arriving in Shillong, Sheeran performed in Bengaluru and is set to wrap up his six-city Indian tour with a final concert in Delhi NCR on February 15.
During a heartfelt moment, Sheeran reflected on his song “The A Team,” which he wrote at the age of 18. “I really thought this song would change everything. I thought it would be my one-hit wonder.
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