Ed Sheeran’s Croke Park concerts will have a “spectacular” stage set-up like nothing ever seen in this country, the promoter claimed last night.
Peter Aiken was speaking before the Shape Of You hitmaker performs in the middle of 160,000 fans at the GAA venue on Saturday and Sunday night.
Last night, the star performed an intimate warm-up show at Dublin venue Whelan’s to hundreds of lucky fans.
Tonight he will perform another preview event at Vicar Street in the city. Mr Aiken said Sheeran’s Croke Park concerts will have “all the bells and whistles” as part of his Mathematics tour.
He said: “This is the first year of his three-year world tour.
“It’s great that we’re getting the first date and he’s in town at the moment and he’s getting ready for Whelan’s tonight.
“Then who knows what happens after that.”
Peter described Sheeran’s stage set-up as “spectacular”.
He added: “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen everything. It’s in the round and it’s all bells and whistles.
“It’s going to be so different from anything he’s ever done before.” Since he landed in Ireland, the superstar, 31, has already gone local.
The Bad Habits singer posed for photographs in Fitzgerald’s pub in Sandycove in Dublin and even served pints behind the bar.
Wearing a baseball jacket, Ed was congratulated by the landlord as he pulled a pint in a video.
The singer seemed pleased with his achievement as he waited for the Guinness to settle.
He also dined at Indian restaurant Rasam Restaurant in Glasthule on Monday night before heading to the pub.
Meanwhile, at a press briefing yesterday, Croke Park bosses encouraged concert goers to make sure their phones were fully charged as tickets to the gigs are digital-only.
Revellers are advised to download passes from their Ticketmaster account to their phones in advance of the show.
Details on how to download or transfer tickets have been mailed to customers.
Event controller Eamon O’Boyle said it’s going to be a special show.
He added: “One of the things that will be different about this is that it will be a concert in the round.
“It will be very exciting. The best advice I can give anybody is to come early, because I think the show and the staging is all going to be very exciting.”
Gates at Croke Park open at 4pm and concert-goers are asked to be mindful of residents and not to gather in advance.
Support acts are Denise Chaila and Maisie Peters with Sheeran’s set expected to begin at 8pm.
There will be a comprehensive policing plan in place over the weekend aimed at providing a safe environment for those attending the concerts.
It also aims to minimise disruption to residential and community life.
Residents in the area are often concerned about the impact the gigs can have on their neighbourhood.
Garda Superintendent Martin Mooney said plans are in place to prevent anti-social behaviour.
He added his officers want people to enjoy their evening but be mindful of residents.
Supt Mooney said: “Certainly there will be a zero-tolerance to drinking on the street.
“I’m not a killjoy, neither are the guards, but inside the cordon, any person with drink will have it taken off them and they will be fined.
“There’s a zero-tolerance to urination, and a zero-tolerance to littering.
“Illegal parking will be dealt with. There are clampers working on the night in question and we’ll deal with that too. Croke Park is in a residential area, please respect the residents and treat them the way you’d expect to be treated yourself.”
Concert-goers are advised to plan their journeys in advance and use public transport where possible.
In all, Ed Sheeran will play 10 concert on the Irish leg of the world tour with dates this month and next in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Belfast.
Read more: Are Ed Sheeran Croke Park tickets still available and how much are they?
Read more: How Damien Rice inspired a 13-year-old Ed Sheeran at Whelan's gig
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