Ed Sheeran Loop Tour Review: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
With the second of three back-to-back Melbourne shows, Ed Sheeran proved exactly why he’s earned the title of the “Everyman Pop Star.” The transition from humble busker to global juggernaut was on full display at Marvel Stadium for his second show (27 Feb 2026). Ironically, Sheeran arrived in Melbourne via train from Sydney a day earlier, carrying his “invisible band,” the loop pedal, in tow, but the concert itself was anything but low-key. It was a blockbuster concert that managed to pull off the ultimate magic trick: making a 60,000-capacity stadium feel as intimate and raw as a street corner or a pub… even bringing along Melbourne’s ultimate 60,000-strong choir as his backup singers during setlist songs.
Across the 30-song set, Sheeran comfortably shifted between acoustic moments, full-band arrangements, and his signature one-man looping setup. Hits like Castle on the Hill, The A Team, Photograph, Perfect and Bad Habits carried the weight of shared memory, with the crowd singing every line. A mid-set appearance from Irish folk band Beoga added a shot of organic warmth, especially during Galway Girl (not “Gourmet Girl,” as my partner incorrectly remembered) and Nancy Mulligan. Watching Sheeran move from chart-topping pop to traditional Irish folk and back again highlighted a musician who is not locked to just a single genre.
For that concert-blockbuster experience, Sheeran performed on a 360-degree stage equipped with a giant screen, fireworks, flames, and even a telescopic bridge, which made it feel quite interactive at times. Speaking of interaction, he asked the crowd to take photos with their smartphones with the flash on when the lyrics “I don’t need a camera to capture this moment” were sung — and needless to say, it was a definite wow moment.
Many of his songs were built from scratch using his custom loop pedal, a foot-operated recording station that lets him capture a beat, riff, or vocal harmony live and play it back instantly. Watching him layer percussion and vocals on the fly was impressive; however, at times his loop music did sound a little too inundated with bass and, as a result, felt slightly distorted — which may have been because the Marvel Stadium roof was closed. This did not happen with Beoga or when he played with just his guitar in classic Ed Sheeran acoustic fashion.
A special mention should also be made of Australia’s very own Vance Joy, who opened the night with his usual ease, reminding the audience just how many anthems he has in his own catalogue. So, by the time Sheeran launched into “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,” the energy was electric. What sets his shows apart is the connection; he spoke warmly about Melbourne (I get that he says that to all his cities) and his late mentor, Michael Gudinski, reflecting on the full-circle nature of his journey. From his first 2011 Melbourne gig at Bakehouse Studio to headlining Marvel Stadium following his record-breaking 214,500-person turnout at the MCG in 2023, the growth has been staggering, yet his persona remains unchanged. Given that, he’s a great storyteller as he connected to the audience with stories of songwriting, collaborations, and discussing his long-running copyright lawsuit, which he spoke about on stage.
Final Thoughts
The Loop Tour ultimately proves that stadium pop doesn’t need to be impersonal, and with just a guitar, a pedal, and a decade of hits, Sheeran managed to make a massive venue feel like a pub singalong. Few artists can hold a crowd this size on their own and even fewer can make it feel this much like home and as Sheeran so eloquently stated, his concerts have become generational, and The Loop Tour met that MO perfectly… much like the song “Perfect.”
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