Ed Sheeran, O2 Academy, Bournemouth (From Daily Echo)

Ed Sheeran, O2 Academy, Bournemouth

10:22am Wednesday 5th October 2011 in Music Reviews By Victoria Boast

It’s a brave flame-haired young man who ignores the screams of hundreds of girls chanting “We want Ed” in the heat of the O2 Academy in Bournemouth for more than a few minutes.

Luckily, Ed Sheeran took to the stage only a moment later, opening with “Grade 8”. A great start.

Following with “The City”, he compelled the crowd to sing along to accompany his array of effects and samples he built up into his “loop station”. You can’t blame the guy for showing off.

“It’s just me up here,” he beams while seamlessly performing his ecelectic cocktail of acoustic folk, hip-hop and grime he has become so well known for.

Proving that he can do more than work a loop pedal, Sheeran shows the crowd his vocal talent during his superb cover of Jamie Woon’s “Wayfaring Stranger”. It is clear to see why this musician has shot to fame so quickly.

Sheeran often involved the audience, making for an interactive gig which included a mix of up-tempo accapella numbers and the crowd favourite “A-Team”.

The entire time, demonstrating his versatility when it comes to one-man arrangements which consistently pumped out top quality music.

Included in his set was a unique song that he wrote for his godparents, introduced with the back-story of how they’d fallen for each other – “Kiss Me” which briefly silenced the audience in adoration.

Of course, the high-point of the night was Sheeran’s current hit “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” which was another crowd pleaser and a key part of a very accomplished, varied set list - one which is worthy of a musician with twice his experience.