Ed Sheeran Continues to Break Records With ‘+ – = ÷ x’ World Tour

July 16, 2022

The gossip websites may have lit up on Wednesday (14th July) about the fact that Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry named their two-month-old daughter Jupiter – so unusual, they exclaimed – but as his current ‘+ – = ÷ x’ world tour marches onward, Sheeran continues to make more headlines while breaking all sorts of records.

Last month Sheeran, co-writer John McDaid (Snow Patrol) and producer Steven McCutcheon were awarded over £900,000 in legal costs following a high court copyright trial over his 2017 hit, ‘Shape of You’.

Ed Sheeran – ‘Shape Of You’

Back in March, the trio had faced accusations that the song ripped off ‘Oh Why’, a 2015 track written by Sami Chokri (aka Sami Switch) and Ross O’Donoghue. However, The Guardian reported that the Hon. Mr Justice Zacaroli ruled that Sheeran, “neither deliberately nor subconsciously” copied a phrase in the song, ruling that Chokri and O’Donoghue should pay legal costs, ordering an interim payment of £916,200.

Meanwhile, the ‘+ – = ÷ x’ tour is proving that Sheeran is keen to change things up. Performed on an impressive in-the-round conveyor belt stage surrounded by guitar pick-shaped screens, the 130-minute set at times features a full band, as opposed to Sheeran’s exclusively loop pedal-based performances of yore.

In a three-night-stand in Wales, he drew the biggest audience (75,000) that Cardiff has ever seen in concert. While there, Sheeran took time to note that his first, mid-2000s performance in the Welsh capital was to a living room of 20 kids.

Ed Sheeran – 2step (feat. Lil Baby) – [Official Video]

In Glasgow, where Sheeran sold out three shows at Hampden Stadium, local media reported that traffic in the city was at a standstill, while social media users lit up about the concert volume. When Hampden tweeted about the gig being packed, one tweeter responded, “Aye the whole of Glasgow knows. Can hear it fae 7 miles away. Turn it down f*** sake. The weans are in bed.”

During a five-night stand at London’s Wembley Stadium, Sheeran revealed that he had been awarded the Freedom Of The City Of London, an honour dating back to the 1200s. “A massive honour as third generation Irish lad,” he posted on social media. “Catch me on a bridge near you with some sheep and a sword.”

Sheeran’s Wembley Stadium performances also featured guest duets with Anne Marie, Fireboy DML and Sam Smith. He has now played a total of 13 shows at the hallowed venue.

Ed Sheeran’s ‘+ – = ÷ x’ tour continues through Europe until the end of October. The Australian leg kicks off on Friday, 17th February at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.