Ed Sheeran Explains Why He Removed His B Stage From Philadelphia Concert, Introduces New Backing Band Who Had 3 Days to Learn His Music | Just Jared

Ed Sheeran spoke on stage about the changes he made to his Loop Tour following the fallout from dropping Macklemore as an opening act.

During his Saturday night (September 19) concert in Philadelphia, the 35-year-old musician addressed why there was no B stage at the show that night.

“At this point in the show, to be honest, I usually go out to a B stage, and I’m going to be totally honest with you, I didn’t know what this audience would be like tonight. I didn’t know if I’d have things thrown at me,” Ed said on stage. “I apologise that today is not the usual show. I took the B stage out because I was afraid what might happen if I stood in the middle and I will admit that. So, the show is a little bit different.”

Ed also addressed their not being any openers, as well as his friends, Irish folk band Boega, that would usually take the stage during the show as his backing band. Alongside all of the opening acts for the tour, Boega also dropped out of the tour in solidarity with Macklemore and Palestine.

“There are certain songs that just don’t work on the loop pedal. So when my friends dropped out of this show, I was thinking, how am I going to keep the show the same? And how am I going to get musicians to stand on stage with me in a week when no one wants to stand on stage with me?” Ed shared. “I rung up a friend of mine who is superb, she’s a superb human being, and I toured with her all of last year, all the year before, and the year before that, and I said to her, ‘Would you stand on stage with me?’ And she said yes.”

“I asked her if she knew any musician friends, and she said yes, and they’ve had three days to learn these songs, three days to learn these songs, and I just want to say before they come on stage, they said yes to being on stage with the knowledge that the world thought I was a certain type of person,” he continued. “They said yes with the knowledge that the world may hate them too for standing on stage with me. And I am so grateful that they’ve been here tonight to stand on stage with me to play for you guys.”

He then introduced the musicians joining him on stage. “Mike on drums, CJ on keys, Eric on bass, Clay on guitar, and my dear, dear friend Alicia [Enstrom] on violin. Please make some noise.”

Earlier in the night, Ed spoke on stage, addressing all of the controversy surrounding him over the past week.

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