Ed Sheeran asked his fans to illuminate Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium with their cellphones, but the pop superstar is lighting up the city.
Dunedin is humming after the first wave of travelling fans, expected to total almost 70,000, hit town for Thursday night’s sell-out show, which drew rave reviews as close to 40,000 people packed into the city’s roofed stadium.
But the best is yet to come, as the English singer-songwriter takes to the stage again tonight and tomorrow night, to round out an Easter spectacular of three concerts for the southern city.
On Thursday night, Sheeran told his fans Dunedin’s first concert was possibly the best night of his tour.
"You guys are mental. I don’t want to call it but I do believe this might be the best night of the tour,’’ he told the crowd.
But for Terry Davies, the man in charge of Forsyth Barr Stadium and tasked with securing events like Sheeran’s performances, the feeling was mutual.
"As soon as he [Sheeran] said ‘put your phones on’ and the whole place lit up, it was something sort of magical, wasn’t it? For me, the hair on the back of my neck stood up in that stadium for that moment.
"He was phenomenal.’’
The stadium, like the city, had also passed its biggest test to date "without any shadow of a doubt’’ in accommodating the event, despite the extra logistical challenges it posed, Mr Davies said.
The sheer number of fans expected through the stadium’s gates by the end of Sunday’s show — at close to 120,000 people — meant all sorts of extras were required, from staff to food and drinks, power units and cash registers, he said.
Despite that, the first of three concerts had run "seamlessly’’, impressing VIPs including Frontier Touring promoter Michael Gudinski, who was watching from the corporate boxes, Mr Davies said.
"We were pretty ready, but you always hold your breath because you just want it to run smoothly.’’
Fans were also full of praise for both Sheeran’s performance and the way the event was run.
Among the hundreds of comments on the Otago Daily Times’ Facebook page almost all were positive.
Kate Lilley said it was a "truly amazing night’’ for young and old.
"Amazing night — so very pleased we went. And loving that a majority of the city is celebrating this awesome event coming to our little town!
"Go Dunners,’’ she said.
Sally Warlow said it was a "totally awesome gig’’.
"The sound quality was exceptional and the songs just kept coming with so much energy.’’
A festival of public events centred on the Octagon also appeared to start without a hitch on Thursday, and again yesterday, as concert-goers thronged the city’s streets and cafes.
The influx of visitors was expected to pump $34 million into the local economy, and Mayor Dave Cull said yesterday the "palpable buzz’’ also justified the council’s investment to capitalise on the concerts.
The contentious Ed Sheeran mural in Bath St had proved to be a magnet for selfie-hunters, and businesses, schools and other organisations had all contributed to the city-wide effort, he said.
"It was a real all-of-community effort, and I think that is something to be really proud of,’’ Mr Cull said.
Police also praised concert-goers’ behaviour. Just five people were arrested for disorderly behaviour in central Dunedin between midnight and 2pm yesterday.
Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of Dunedin, said police were "really happy’’ with the crowd and hoped the good behaviour would continue.
Sheeran himself had a day off yesterday, and spent it looking around the city, including dropping in on Otago Peninsula’s albatross colony yesterday afternoon.
For fans who missed out on Thursday night’s show, there is still hope. Tonight’s show has sold out, but a small number of tickets remain for tomorrow’s finale.
