Ed Sheeran Surprises Fans with Intimate Gig at Ipswich Pub
A surprise performance by Ed Sheeran at a pub in Ipswich has left fans delighted and buzzing. The global star, who grew up in Framlingham, Suffolk, took over The Thomas Wolsey in Ipswich town centre for a fortnight, renaming it The Old Phone after one of his latest songs.
According to the BBC, fans who responded to a WhatsApp message were granted tickets to the intimate gig, which was expected to last at least an hour. Rachel Clements, 28, from Stowmarket, was among the lucky ones, saying she was “very excited that he’s doing something this small, in our home town”. She added that she was hoping to hear his latest track and new material from his Play album, which includes a song called Old Phone.
The BBC reported that Sheeran’s pop-up pub concept is not new, with previous versions of The Old Phone opening in Ipswich, Massachusetts, US, and at the Coachella festival in California. Fans were eager to see him perform live, with Alyssa Ali, 20, from Florida, travelling from London to Ipswich specifically to attend the gig. “I love Ed and have been a fan for a decade,” she said. “So I had to come to his hometown and go around Ipswich… I’m so nervous because I don’t know if I’ll be able to get in. I’m just so excited to be in his presence again.”
The BBC also spoke to Michael Marron, 38, from Ipswich, who was hoping to see Sheeran perform. “Delighted, we saw him do this show in America and we were wondering if he would do something like this in Ipswich,” he said. “It’s great that he’s come back to Ipswich and he’s entertaining the people of Suffolk.” Sheeran is known for playing impromptu gigs in Suffolk’s county town, including one on the Town Hall steps in 2022.
As the BBC reported, fans who missed out on tickets were still queuing outside the pub, hoping to get a glimpse of the star. The pub, which used to be called Bar IV and before that The Blackadder, was re-branded as The Old Phone for two weeks, before reverting to its original name.
Ed Sheeran’s connection to Ipswich is well-known, with the star having sponsored Ipswich Town’s shirts and played gigs at other pubs in the town before he became famous. As the BBC noted, Sheeran’s return to Ipswich has brought excitement to the local community, with fans of all ages eager to see him perform live.
The event was a unique opportunity for fans to see Ed Sheeran perform in an intimate setting, with the BBC reporting that he carried out a soundcheck and was expected to perform for at least an hour at Sunday lunchtime.
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