Ed Sheeran's comeback gig at Snape Maltings in Suffolk has been broadcast as part of Radio 1's Big Weekend of Music - and in an interview, he has revealed how he came to sponsor Ipswich Town.
The Framlingham superstar, who had taken a break from performing following four huge concerts at Chantry Park in Ipswich in 2019 at the end of his record-breaking Divide tour, played 11 songs at the spectacular concert hall near Aldeburgh.
And a number of those were performed with a band - a departure from Ed's trademark solo gigs.
Speaking during an interview broadcast alongside the Snape Maltings performance, Ed also explained how the "long process" to sponsor Ipswich Town began in 2019 when a one-off club shirt with the Divide tour logo went on sale.
He told Radio 1's Jordan North it was he who approached the Blues about the prospect. He said he had previously sponsored Framlingham Town under 11 girls team.
Ed said: "It's been a long, long process in getting things in order and the reaction's been great."
He also said the future was hopeful for the club: "Ipswich they have new owners and I think a good attitude.
"They have a great new manager and I think next season we could be promoted. We'll see."
When asked where he would perform his comeback show, he had also suggested his old school hall at Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham as an option.
"But I don't think the cameras would have fit in my old school. That's where I did my very first gig."
He then went for the "beautiful setting" of Snape Maltings, which he has never played in before.
"Before Covid happened, my old school were doing something, some sort of concert that I was going to come here and do as well."
The traditionally solo musician performed with a band and has been working on his new album, taking care of his daughter and getting healthy over the last two years.
"I needed to do something different and I put this band together and they've been rehearsing it.
"What I felt were the weakest bits of the [Divide] tour were some of the songs that needed a band like Castle on the Hill [about Framlingham Castle which he kicked off his Maltings gig with] and Thinking out Loud."
He said that under Covid he has been "missing" live performances and also talked about his new album.
"It's really, really different," he said. "Every time I've released a first single from an album, I've been nervous about it as I'm like ohh I don't know this is going to go and I like that feeling."
His performance is on BBC iPlayer and will be on Radio 1 on Saturday at 2pm.
Setlist:
Castle on the Hill
The A Team
Galway Girl
Visiting Hours
Sing
Bloodstream
Thinking out Loud
I See fire
Perfect
Shape of You
Afterglow
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here