Dunedin - Ed is coming and he can not wait.
The international pop superstar says he can not wait to explore the southern city when he heads south for his three concerts at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Sheeran told the Otago Daily Times ahead of his gig in Auckland tonight he was excited about visiting Dunedin and he would use his spare day between the first and second concerts to go sight seeing in and around the city.
He was also looking forward to sampling all the food he could get his hands on.
"That's all I want to do, obviously I've got the gigs there and I've seen Auckland before, I've seen Wellington before, I've seen Christchurch but I've never been to Dunedin. So I want to see all there is to see and I want to eat all there is to eat."
Up to 60,000 people are expected to pack into the city over the Easter weekend for his three concerts and to celebrate the city is welcoming them and Sheeran with open arms, holding a weekend long festival dedicated to the popstar.
"No one ever tours there, we got Elton John when I was 13 or 14 and the Chilli Peppers (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) came when I was 16 I think but that's about it. So no one ever tours there, and so I can understand it from the stand point of being a kid and artists not coming through."
"So I can understand why there's a kerfuffle about it I guess."
He was also relaxed about the Dunedin City Council spending $8,000 to put his likeness on a Bath St Wall, the first of it's kind in the world, Sheeran thought.
"I had no say in the matter and I think the guy has done a really really good job it looks fantastic and if it makes people happy then good."
A powhiri welcomed the English singer songwriter to Mt Smart stadium in Auckland this afternoon ahead of his first show on the New Zealand leg of his Australasian tour
Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are predicted for Auckland tonight and with a ban on umbrellas inside the stadium it could be a wet one for the 47,000 fans who have bought tickets to the sold out show.
tim.miller@odt.co.nz
