“The way the blue shines in your eyes… It’s the sea of Tenerife.” Ed Sheeran’s declaration of love for Tenerife was once again evident yesterday. After the British singer-songwriter dedicated a song to the island where he has spent many holidays with his family, the singer delivered a night filled with music and emotion in what will be one of his only performances in Spain. Around 35,000 people vibrated with the music of the Halifax native, who performed some of his most popular songs in the historic concert held at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where he proudly wore the shirt of the Tenerife football team.
Nobody was late for the concert. Thus, there were already people queuing at the entrance of the Tenerife Sports Club stadium on Friday night. Gradually, throughout Saturday, these crowds grew until, around seven in the evening, it seemed like there were as many people outside as inside the venue. Despite the tens of thousands of people gathered yesterday at this point in the Tenerife capital, there were no significant incidents, beyond the heat that the audience had to endure until the shadow completely covered the football pitch, around eight-thirty in the evening.
Ed Sheeran attracted a diverse audience, not only in terms of age at the Heliodoro but also in terms of nationalities. Thus, in addition to the Canarians and mainland Spaniards, many English fans joined in wearing their compatriot’s tour shirts, and of course, they were the ones who sang along the best during the concert. The large number of attendees caused the businesses in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to be full throughout much of the day, demonstrating that these types of cultural events drive the entire economy of the area.
The cafes near the stadium had a successful time in the middle of June because many attendees decided to extend the festive day. So many people gathered inside the stadium that at times it was even difficult to get a drink in the standing area, as the bars did not stop serving even when Sheeran took the stage at nine in the evening, sporting a personalised tour shirt for the occasion, with the word Tenerife visible on the back of the young artist.
Minutes before the British artist’s concert began, the atmosphere was already completely festive, and the audience started doing the wave, filling the stands with applause, while some attendees wore ginger wigs in a clear reference to the musician’s hair. Thus, right at nine in the evening, Ed Sheeran took the stage at the Tenerife stadium, and a spectacular effect of light and color welcomed an enthusiastic audience from the first song. “Castle on the Hill” was the chosen song by the artist to kick off his first concert in Canarias.
The young artist celebrated this first concert on the island and showcased great musical skill, beyond the songs that the attendees continued to sing along to. He went through the most well-known compositions of his career and also shared some anecdotes about the creation of his songs. However, the English language was a bit challenging for some attendees, who got lost in the young artist’s explanations, while the audience sharing the same nationality as the performer was completely engaged throughout the concert, which felt too short for many.
The sold-out achieved by Ed Sheeran – the tens of thousands of tickets were sold in just a few hours last November – provided magical moments with the entire audience in the stands standing up during the livelier songs, or when the flashlights of mobile phones were lit during the ballads.
Ed Sheeran professes his affection for Tenerife in the highly anticipated concert / Patricia Ginovés
Despite the audience’s eagerness to sing along to the young musician’s songs, before Sheeran took the stage, fellow British artist Calum Scott, who has accompanied Sheeran on part of his world tour, performed. Thus, from half past seven in the evening, the chords of some of the most well-known songs by this young British singer-songwriter, who won the Britain’s Got Talent TV show in 2015, started to sound. “Only Human” or his version of “Dancing On My Own” were some of the songs that the audience also sang along to early in the evening, showing that their passion for Sheeran also extends to the one chosen as the official opening act for his latest tour. The legendary Whitney Houston song “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” was Calum’s final song, who nonetheless returned to the stage later to sing alongside Ed Sheeran, in what was, he said, their first joint performance.
Hours before performing at the central Tenerife stadium, Ed Sheeran already promised a unique night through his Instagram profile, where he posted a video singing “Tenerife Sea” aboard a small boat off the coast of San Andrés. Thus, when the Englishman sang the first chords of this song at night, the gathered audience vibrated, although they did not sing along, as Sheeran asked his fans to remain silent to give this gift to the island. The night was not only magical because of the British singer’s voice but also because several couples chose the concert to get engaged, opting for the most romantic songs of the British singer-songwriter to show their love for music and their families.
Although the musical offering was extensive yesterday in Tenerife, the artist from Halifax emerged victorious and demonstrated that his music is well-received wherever he goes. Not in vain, after his stop in the islands, he now continues his tour, which will take him next Thursday to Norway. He will then set foot in Spanish lands again to participate in the O Gozo Festival in Santiago de Compostela, where he will headline on Saturday. He will be touring various European countries until September before making the leap to America.
Ed Sheeran, who acted in Tenerife, expressed his admiration for the island as a concert location, emphasizing his love for its beauty and charm. The crowd responded with enthusiasm, showing their appreciation for the artist and the unique experience he provided. The concert was a memorable event that will linger in the memories of all those fortunate enough to attend.
