Ed Sheeran: Roundhay Park concert experience

Ed Sheeran at Roundhay Park, Leeds

BOOKING TICKETS

It was back in September 2018 when the tickets went on sale, it feels like a lifetime ago now but let me talk you through the process of purchasing them. 

As a disabled person, I normally give the venue’s disabled access line a call in order to book my tickets but this time was a little different. 

All bookings were taken online through Alt tickets so I was a tad skeptical about how it would all work and if everything would be accessible with my screen reader. 

The countdown to the ticket release time went slowly as expected, but it was all systems go when the clocked ticked over to the sale time, if you’ve ever bought concert tickets online before, you’ll be aware of the stress I’m talking about. 

Luckily it all went smoothly and since there was an option for disabled access tickets, I felt more assured that the venue were taking disabled access seriously. 

From the information I had before making the purchase, I knew I could send proof of my disability to the venue after parting with my money in order to get a free personal assistant ticket and so I did just that. There weren’t any bumps in the road in terms of buying tickets and I quickly received an email confirming my free PA ticket, giving me the all clear to take someone (that someone being my mum) along with me. 

THE CONCERT

Remember that long trek to Leeds I mentioned before? I feel like ‘long’ is a slight understatement here but after 1 car, 4 trains and a shuttle bus, we finally made it to Roundhay, joining the tail-end of the queues ready to go in. 

It was a completely ticketless event, something which I’d never been to before but each check ran smoothly and after explaining to one of the security men that my cane was in fact a mobility aid and not an umbrella like he mistakenly took it for, we were let loose on to the green fields which surrounded the stage. 

Our tickets were for the disabled viewing area on Hill 60 (there was another platform for wheelchairs which I think was closer to the stage) and once one of the staff mapped out where we were meant to go, we made our way to the area where we met my friend Holly and her dad.

My mum said we were quite far away from the stage which was a shame, I didn’t really mind since I wouldn’t be able to see much of it anyway. The sound and the music is what we’re there for at the end of the day but for those who have more remaining vision, I can imagine that it would be really difficult for them to see anything.

Disabled fans were allowed to take chairs into this particular area so the view for those who were sat down was instantly obstructed as the thousands of fans stood up in front, yet another nod to the inconvenience of where the disabled access area was situated.

The first support act was Lewis Capaldi, an artist I’ve wanted to see live for a while now so it’s safe to say that I was excited for his set. 

Sadly, the speakers didn’t seem to work properly during his performances and it wasn’t until the very last song that we could hear him better from where we were sitting.

It was as if we were listening from someone’s back garden and it wasn’t a particularly close one either.

As someone who relies on sound to appreciate these things, it was quite disheartening that we couldn’t hear Lewis’ stunning voice but if his other performances were as good as the last, he definitely put on a great show. 

The sound still wasn’t perfect for the second support act, The Darkness. I wasn’t very familiar with any of their songs to be completely honest but many were upbeat and vibrant, encouraging the crowds spirits to heighten ready for Ed’s appearance. 

During the half hour interval which pursued after The Darkness’ set, we marvelled at the thought that Ed would soon be on stage. 

As the first few chords of Castle on the Hill echoed, the crowd instantly united to welcome the man himself on to the stage before us. 

The green fields erupted into loud screams and cheers, welcoming Ed to the second of his four homecoming shows. 

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Eraser was performed soon after, followed by the beautiful The A Team which is one of the first songs I heard by Ed, making it a very special number. 

As the concert continued, I found myself in complete awe, just like I was last year, of the fact that Ed was stood on stage performing to us with only his guitar and loop station, showcasing his true talent. 

I was so happy to hear him sing a couple of chart topping singles from his latest collaboration album, No.6. The first was Beautiful People, his collab with American singer, Khalid, one of my favourites from the new release. The lyric “We don’t fit in well, we are just ourselves”. speaking to me on a different level, reminding me that it’s ok to be different, it’s ok not to slot into the norms of society. 

This was followed by the always crowd pleasing Bloodstream before we were treated to I Don’t Care, another number on the collaboration album, and then a stunning performance of Tenerife Sea, a quiet song which Ed claimed to be one of his favourites to sing live. 

Next up was a song which he doesn’t normally sing live, All of the stars which many will recognise from the film ’The fault in our stars’, a lovely addition to the setlist and even more beautiful when intertwined with Hearts Don’t break around here and Give me love.

It’s safe to say that there were plenty of songs included, paying tribute to some of the earlier days of Ed’s career as well as the most recent. 

A little throwback was a cover of Love Yourself which Ed wrote for Justin Bieber on a tour bus back in 2015 and after a small glitch with his guitar which was soon sorted after a hand by Ed’s guitar technician, Trevor, who we all showed our appreciation for, Sheeran broke into an energetic performance of Galway Girl, followed by I See Fire, one of my favourites from the X (multiply) album. As the song built in intensity, I couldn’t help but feel lucky that I was witnessing such a display of vocal and instrumental talent, an absolute treat.  

“Are your voices feeling warmed up? Now the real singalong is gonna begin. Leeds if you don’t know the words to this next song, you’re at the wrong gig”, Ed said before going on to sing Thinking out Loud and he was right of course, are you really an Ed Sheeran fan if you don’t know the words to this one? I think I heard everyone around me singing so we were all genuine. 

“Still up for a few more singalongs?” Of course we were and a stunning acoustic version of Photograph echoed through the fields with the crowd then getting completely lost in a performance of Perfect, phone torches shining in the air, everyone holding on to every note as a beautiful ambiance was created, something I couldn’t help but smile through.

The crowd, all 80,000 of us, united, singing back to the Yorkshire born musician. Hearing that many people sing in harmony is enough to give anyone goosebumps, especially when they’re the songs you’ve grown up listening to. 

These heartwarming moments are what are truly special about concerts, forming an unforgettable atmosphere as a true connection is formed between everyone there. 

After a couple of quiet songs, things livened up as the concert drew to a close with a performance of BLOW and Sing, with the crowd throwing their arms up in the air in time with the beats of the music. I don’t think anyone was singing in tune but it didn’t matter at this point, everyone’s enthusiasm was enough to encourage the passion in those last few notes. 

After returning to the stage for his encore with performances of Shape of You and You Need Me I Don’t Need You, Ed left us with the words, “I’ll see you in a couple of years”, and that’s when it dawned on me that I was so incredibly lucky to have been able to see him twice during his Divide tour and even more so to hear him play one of his homecoming shows. 

His performances on Saturday definitely matched, if not outshined, those of which I heard at the Etihad last year and it was nice to hear a few new performances too. Ed is definitely one of the best artists you’ll see live, I don’t think there was one note which he didn’t hit perfectly. 

I think you’ve all gathered by now that his vocals never fail to blow me away. And I’m sure every Ed Sheeran fan who has seen him live can back me up when saying that he manages to capture the audience’ attention in a completely unique way, ensuring that everyone feels included and equal and that, my friends, is incredibly special.

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After bidding farewell to Holly and her dad, we strolled along the grassy hills, trying to suss out the way back to the shuttle bus. 

It was an hour of walking through mud and waiting amongst the masses of fans before we finally made it back on to the bus. The queues out of the park meant that we missed the last train back to Huddersfield (where we were staying), another train missed was nothing new to us on this day and after nearly an hour’s wait for a taxi, we finally made it back to the comfort of our hotel room, more than ready for some sleep once the clock ticked past 2:15am. 

But despite all the travelling dilemmas we endured during the day and the fact that the disabled access wasn’t completely up to scratch in terms of location and sound quality at the beginning, our time at the concert was a capsule of unforgettable memories. 

It’s like a little bubble, cast away from the stressful normalities of life and in that moment, you never want it to pop. 

There’s always a tinge of sadness submerged in the emotions of a concert’s aftermath but most importantly, some incredible memories to take away. As I took back to my laptop keyboard on Monday morning, the fact it was all over brought that sadness but the happiness created by the concert overruled that.

The inclusivity in Ed’s concerts is always worth applauding, I love when he tells us to clap and jump because I normally have no idea what everyone around me are doing if the artist gives non verbal cues, but the fact that Ed does helps me to feel included as a blind person. The fact that there was a sign language interpreter there is also testament to how inclusive his shows are and that’s something to be praised.

Ed’s Divide tour might be over but there’s that air of excitement married with the thought of what will come next.

I for one am excited to see what Sheeran’s next project will be but for now, I’m going to relish in the memories created during this tour, waiting patiently for the next by singing along to the concert videos and audio clips we captured during the shows. Who’s with me?

I’m sure it won’t be too long before Ed Sheeran is back on the world’s stages but until then, there’s plenty of memories to enjoy and cherish! 

Have you ever seen Ed Sheeran live? Or if his music isn’t your cup of tea, who was the last artist you saw in concert? I feel like music and concerts have this influence which brings people together so I’d love to hear about any concert experiences you have to share. Concerts leave me feeling inspired in some way and I’d love to know if they have that affect on you too, lets chat all things music!

Elin x