Ed Sheeran plays to 80,000 fans in Hamburg

Ed Sheeran’s latest show at Hamburg’s Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld (25 July) saw some 80,000 people in attendance, his largest crowd on the current European leg of his ÷ tour. The success of the concert adds yet another accolade to the tour, which already boasts the highest ticket sales of any 2018 tour so far.

Supported by British artists Jamie Lawson and Anne-Marie, the 27-year-old Sheeran delivered delivered his one-man performance with just a collection of guitars and a loop pedal. Fans of all ages welcomed Sheeran performing some of his most well-known tracks throughout the evening, even bringing out their smartphone torches in place of lighters for the number 1 song ‘Perfect’.

Whilst fans revelled, the current heatwave affecting much of Europe presented organisers with challenges in the hours leading up to the concert. With devout fans arriving hours early, emergency services rolled out preventative measures for those spending all day in the heat. Despite scorching temperatures throughout the day reaching well over 30 degrees in the open-air arena, the show went off without major incident, receiving a thumbs up from local emergency services and organisers.

“Overall, we had about 250 problem cases, all of which could be solved locally”

“The event went in our view without any significant incidents,” says Jörg Büttner, director of the Hamburg fire brigade. “We provided assistance in around 200 cases… with a concert of this size, at these temperatures, that is absolutely at the lower end of the spectrum.”

Ahead of the concert, questions were raised over the decision to personalise tickets, however organisers reported the initiative a success. Christian Wiesmann, event director of FKP Scorpio, says the personalisation was a bid to protect ticket buyers against profiteering and exploitative secondary ticket sellers. On the success of the initiative, he says: “Overall, we had about 250 problem cases, all of which could be solved locally.”

“After the concerts of the Rolling Stones and the Foo Fighters, this was the third world star within the past twelve months,” he adds. “An event with 80,000 visitors is an immense effort that can only be handled jointly by all involved. Everyone worked excellently for Ed Sheeran.”

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