Ed Sheeran has been no stranger to the pages of SupaJam. The flame haired pocket monster has been lighting up our lives since early 2012 in one way or another.

And so the second album promotion begins in ernest withthree gigs in 3 cities and all being played on the same day.Sheeran took to the stage at London’s Koko at the very un rock and roll hour of 4pm sharp. Hardly the time to sink a couple of beers before show time but never let it be said we won’t take one for the team when it comes to afternoon gigging.

Having been told that this was a short concert comprising solely of new material from his forthcoming album Sheeran wisely took one look at the bank holiday crowd and launched headlong into an audience singalong of an 8 minute version “You Need Me” followed by “Lego House”

The new material when it came was book marked by old favourites and the odd movie soundtrack (“I See Fire” from last years Hobbit movie). A smart move but it did mean as soon as the crowd recognised the first note to a track everyone had to contend with battling a view through cell phones and yes, even iPads now, being held aloft. Why the fuck can’t venues hurry up and ban this stupid practise and let people enjoy the gig for what it is. Check out just how pissed off we get about it in our blog HERE

Minor rant over, back to the new stuff. Not that Ed needed have worried about debuting songs from “Multiply”. The new tracks if anything have been crafted to take him to a higher level. From arenas and late afternoon festival slots to that of headliner status. “Sing” couldn’t get more radio friendly if it tried and is destined to be this years “Blurred Lines” (minus controversy) For gods sake it even features virtual slam dunker Pharrell Williams and you can’t get safer than that folks.

Often what impressed the most were the quieter moments from the set. Debuting “One” ,the song thatopens “Multiply” when it launches on June 23rd and the first song that he wrote for the album set, it’s power comes from its simplicity and melody.

The 10 song set closed with a double whammy of “A Team”- complete with medical crisis from the audience when, halfway through someone passing out in the centre of the crowd. Bonus points to Sheeran who managed to get this minor emergency into the lyrics. Finally he left with the (already) fan favourite new single “Sing”

And that was that. 10 songs, an hour long set and a thousand people very happy and still time to enjoy their Monday night takeaway.

Job done, off to Dublin, and ready , as the album suggests, to Multiply.

Check out the set list below:-