Ed Sheeran: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Bobby Carter | October 26, 2021
Decked in a hoodie, cargo pants and coveted sneakers, a slimmed-down and clean-shaven Ed Sheeran stands surrounded by bookshelves and a host of world-class musicians. He’s flanked by music director to the stars, Adam Blackstone, who assembled the band and handled bass guitar duties. After opening this Tiny Desk (home) concert with his latest single, “Shivers,” Sheeran introduces himself and proceeds with more hits, new tunes, and a surprise throwback.

The English singer-songwriter may appear acclimated to a live band, but it’s a pretty rare occasion. For more than a decade, Sheeran’s become revered for ripping down stadiums, but usually (and remarkably) it’s just him, a guitar and loop pedals.

The material released so far from his upcoming album, = (out Oct. 29), leans heavily into the ’80s pop sphere and provides glimpses into Sheeran’s personal life during his time away. Here, he debuts “Overpass Graffiti,” an uptempo ode to the endurance of long love. “Visiting Hours” is a heartfelt dedication to his close friend and mentor, Australian record executive Michael Gudinski, who passed away in March.

Although most of the setlist honors =, Sheeran veers momentarily to take us to church with 2014’s “Make It Rain” from the TV show Sons of Anarchy. The choir only takes up a smidgen of physical real estate, but their voices manage to engulf the entire space, propelling the song to another stratosphere. He closes the performance with a quiet storm version of his summer single “Bad Habits.”

SET LIST
* “Shivers”
* “Make It Rain”
* “Overpass Graffiti”
* “Visiting Hours”
* “Bad Habits”

MUSICIANS
* Adam Blackstone: musical director/bass
* Terence Vaughn: keys
* Tim Stewart: guitar
* Clay Sears: guitar
* Brian Frasier-Moore: drums
* Rayfield Holloman: pedal steel guitar
* Whitney Smith: vocals
* Raphael Smith: vocals
* Melissa Best: vocals
* Antia Coach: vocals
* Melany Watson: vocals
* Kyron Elcock: vocals
* Raymond Mason: trombone
* Michael Leonhart: trumpet
* Sam Greenfield: saxophone

CREDITS
* Video: Chadrick Fellers, Jeremy Ivory-Chambers, Porous Porousfreak
* Audio: Tyrell Ace Clark, James Hardy-Martin, Douglas Touré Harris

TINY DESK TEAM
* Producer: Bobby Carter
* Video Producer: Kara Frame
* Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
* Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Bobby Carter, Maia Stern, Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis
* Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
* Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #nprmusic #edsheeran

[nprmusic]

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[arii]

0:12 Shivers
3:56 Make It Rain
10:00 Overpass Graffiti
14:25 Visiting Hours
18:35 Bad Habits

[HorrorSkunx]

What a brilliant performance Ed!! Credits to the background singers on make it rain, that was an incredible performance

[loganphelps]

the back-up vocals in "Make it Rain" are absolutely unbelievable. Overall, I can't even tell you a single moment that was anything less than phenomenal.

[luiebr]

What I love of tiny desk is that you can appreciate the actual talent of the artists without big show lights and dancers etc. This is an enormous display of talent.

[Sarah]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the backup singers, their voices complemented Ed Sheeran's beautifully. So much power in those vocals 😍

[usnim]

I'm still amazed after all these years, how he changes his voice in Make It Rain and how stable he sounds. Never gonna stop falling in love with his art.

[jeffffro]

After Make it Rain he nonchalantly says ‘Well that was fun’
That was fun? THAT WAS FUN???!!?!
No Ed! That’s was NOT fun, that was earth shatteringly That was DEEPLY soulful!!!! That was life confirming and extremely The back up singers put so much into it that it moved me like no other I’ve heard in a very long time!

[kofosuonbass]

Can we also appreciate Adam Blackstone and the band? That was a bass delicacy: from the acoustic to the electric, and from the double bass back to the acoustic. What a jam!

[elizabethsmith]

Those background vocalists in "Make it rain" gave me constant shivers. Best part of this whole performance.

[louisberton]

The Vocals in this one… did you hear this? Those runs, the belting and the soul in his voice. He is showing of what he can do vocally. Reminds me a bit of back then, when less people knew him and he was perceived more as a singer and performer than the composer and artist he is. Very much effort put into this, as if he wanted to prove a point, when it all starts again now. Still the best one out there…

[ChinJess]

Ed killed it as usual, but why is no one talking about the BAND? They absolutely KILLED that!!

[jessiandaigle]

This version of 'shiver' is ridiculously good. The way they all move together at the same time with some add-libs on the base just add the missing details from the original. Absolutely loved it. They nailed the detail.

[richardcranium]

Jeez he slays "Make It Rain". The rasp he hits invades and vibrates the soul. Nice.

[Don_Aitor]

Oh my god, what a performance. "Make it rain" is my jam.

[fmtrzje]

This live performance of 'Make It Rain' is one of the best live performances I've ever heard. My top 5 !

[royeveline]

MY SON JUST INTRODUCED ME TO TINY DESK CONCERTS, I'VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY. GREAT ARTIST, MUSICIANS, SOUNDS

[rodrigocatusso]

we need a Tiny Desk to every Ed Sheeran's album! just give us a full concert to each album, please! LOL <3

[coreyj]

Wow, he has the best live performances. So much control in that voice!

[raevan]

Didn’t even know I was an Ed fan until I saw this. This. Was. Epic. And that band?? Ridiculous amount of talent and passion in that room. Inspirational. Thanks Ed, the incredible band, and NPR for bringing this to the world.