Ed Sheeran rocks Shillong as fans flock to historic concert with kilometre-long queues
Ed Sheeran delivered an exhilarating performance in Shillong, captivating fans with his musical prowess. The concert was a major event, drawing attendees from across the region.
- Feb 13, 2025,
- Updated Feb 13, 2025, 12:42 PM IST
Massive lines of eager fans stretched from the JN Stadium to the Polo area of Shillong as Ed Sheeran made his historic debut performance on February 12, marking the northeast Indian city's biggest international concert to date.
The global superstar, wearing a custom "Shillong" t-shirt, captivated audiences with a stripped-down performance that showcased his signature loop station techniques. "Nothing is pre-recorded," Sheeran explained to the crowd, demonstrating how he builds each song layer by layer in real time.
The concert opened with "Castle on the Hill" and included fan favourites like "Shivers," "Perfect," and "Photograph." When the opening notes of "Perfect" began, the crowd's singing nearly drowned out Sheeran himself, prompting him to declare "Shillong, you are by far the loudest audience."
Opening act Kayan warmed up the crowd with performances of "Cool Kids" and an acoustic version of "Iris" before Sheeran took the stage as the sun set over the hills.
The show, part of Sheeran's + - = ÷ x Tour, marks his first visit to northeast India. Before reaching Shillong, he performed in Bengaluru and will conclude his six-city Indian tour with a show in Delhi NCR on February 15.
During a particularly touching moment, Sheeran reflected on performing "The A Team," which he wrote at 18: "When I wrote it, I really thought this song would change everything. I thought this would be my one-hit wonder. 15 years later to come to places I've never travelled to before and play it in front of an audience - it blows my mind."
The concert concluded with an encore featuring "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," "Shape of You," and "Bad Habits," with thousands of voices joining in for the final chorus.
BookMyShow Live, which organised the tour across Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Shillong and Delhi-NCR (February 15), has been expanding its portfolio of international acts in India. The entertainment platform previously brought artistes like Coldplay and Justin Bieber to the country, along with events such as NBA games and Lollapalooza India.