One Man, One Loop - 55,000 Voices - Ed Sheeran Triumphs in Perth
- Matt Oliver
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Perth’s Optus Stadium, Western Australia - January 31st 2026
WORDS / IMAGES MATT OLIVER
Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour rolled into , delivering a commanding performance to a sold-out crowd of 55,000. The venue was transformed into a vast, luminous expanse—fans’ phone lights and wristbands creating a shimmering sea beneath a clear night sky where the full moon presided overhead, an almost theatrical backdrop to the evening’s spectacle.
The evening opened with a trio of strong Australian supports setting a warm, acoustic tone for the main event. Queensland up-and-comer Mia Wray took the stage early, marking her first-ever stadium performance to a growing crowd. Despite admitting some nerves at facing such a massive audience, she delivered a solid, emotive set that highlighted her powerful voice and tracks from her recent debut album—proving she’s a name worth watching as she builds momentum in the Australian scene.
Local favourite Vance Joy followed, bringing relaxed confidence and crowd-pleasing energy as the sun dipped. Armed with his signature ukulele, he ran through hits like Riptide, Georgia, Fire and the Flood, Mess Is Mine, and a fun cover of KISS’s I Was Made for Lovin’ You, getting the stadium cheering and singing along in no time. His set bridged the gap perfectly, ramping up the vibe ahead of the headliner.
Sheeran opened with a masterstroke of staging: no conventional entrance from the wings. Instead, Sheeran materialised on a compact circular platform amid the audience. Launching into You Need Me, I Don’t Need You, the retractable bridge extended, carrying him across the sea of heads to the expansive main stage, the enormous LED screen flaring behind him. It was an elegant visual shorthand for his trajectory—from bedroom loops and pub gigs to global arenas.
Sapphire followed, ratcheting up the momentum. Throughout, Sheeran wove in personal anecdotes with disarming candour: recollections of holidaying in Australia as a child and returning as an established artist; the origins of The A Team, written at 18 and once performed to near-empty pubs; and an even earlier song from age 16, which required a quick backstage lyric refresh—he delivered it flawlessly, earning warm cheers for the vulnerability.
The loop pedal remained the show’s beating heart. In a space this cavernous, watching him construct songs in real time—layering guitar, percussion, and vocals—retains its mesmerising power. Fan-voted requests via QR code (Cold Coffee, Overpass Graffiti, American Town, Afire Love) brought welcome surprises, while the medley of tracks penned for others (Eastside / 2002 / Cold Water / Little Things / Love Yourself) underscored his songwriting reach. Beoga’s appearance injected lively Irish folk energy into Galway Girl, Nancy Mulligan, and several others, lending those passages a loose, celebratory swing.
The anthems landed with force: Thinking Out Loud, Perfect, Shape of You, Bad Habits—the stadium became one voice, one pulse. Minor technical hiccups (a temperamental pedal, fleeting cue slips) surfaced but were dispatched with characteristic poise.
The encore brought pyrotechnic punctuation: Azizam, with its distinctive Indian-inspired pulse, triggered a synchronised burst of fireworks that painted the moonlit sky in vivid colour. Bad Habits closed proceedings in a blaze of lasers and flame.
A meticulously crafted setlist blending deep cuts, crowd-pleasers, and inventive staging; an audience primed and vocal; and Sheeran at the peak of his live powers—storyteller, technician, and ringmaster in one. Perth proved the ideal launchpad for the Australian leg. Catch it if you can.
Setlist
1. You Need Me, I Don’t Need You (First half on B-stage)
2. Sapphire
3. Castle on the Hill
4. The A Team
5. Shivers
6. Don’t (Ended on B-Stage)
7. Eyes Closed
8. Cold Coffee (Fan Voted)
9. Overpass Graffiti (Fan Voted)
10. American Town (Fan Voted)
11. Afire Love (Fan Voted)
12. Give Me Love (Ended on Main Stage)
13. Galway Girl (with Beoga)
14. Nancy Mulligan (with Beoga)
15. I Don’t Care (with Beoga)
16. Old Phone (with Beoga)
17. Opening (with Beoga)
18. Camera (with Beoga)
19. Celestial (with Beoga)
20. Photograph (Ended on B-Stage)
21. Eastside / 2002 / Cold Water / Little Things / Love Yourself
22. Thinking Out Loud
23. Perfect
24. I See Fire (Ended on Main Stage)
25. Symmetry
26. Bloodstream
27. Afterglow
Encore
28. Shape of You
29. Azizam
30. Bad Habit
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