We couldn’t even see the shape of you, Ed..
Fans slam gig’s restricted views
ED Sheeran fans were left fuming yesterday over restricted views and sound at his first Dublin show.
The Shape Of You singer played to a sold-out 50,000 crowd at Phoenix Park – but not all were happy.
Several concert-goers slammed the semi-circular layout of the venue, which had seating to the sides and a standing area in the middle.
Pals Hazel Brown, 33, and 34-year-old Aisling Kelly couldn’t get into the main standing area due to the crowds and were stuck behind the seating.
The Dubliners paid €175 for the tickets and were looking forward to the concert for months.
Hazel said: “When we got in past the ticket check we headed for the middle of the food area to try to get into where the stage was.
“There was no way to get through. We tried weaving in through people but couldn’t get further than the start of the seating.
“It was so crowded and so many people were dangerously drunk so we gave up and walked back towards the food area.”
Another fan said on Twitter said: “My view was two stands and then a merchandise stand in the middle of them blocking the stage.”
Mother-of-two Clare O’connor said: “A merchandise stand right in front of the stage blocking the view for most of the crowd, €200 well spent! I literally didn’t lay eyes on Ed once. Such a pity as he was brilliant as always. Hopefully its sorted out for Friday.”
Another woman, Rachel Doogue added it was “utterly soul destroying to go to a concert as badly organised”.
She said: “If you’re sitting, you’re bound to have a good night because anyone we spoke to who was seated had a different experience to us. If not – start queueing at about 1pm to get anywhere near an area where you can hear the concert. Heartbroken.” Even though people across Dublin claimed they could hear the concert, some at the venue who questioned the sound quality, with one writing: “Phoenix Park really let poor Ed Sheeran down.”
Aiken Promotions yesterday said: “Movement of people through the large gap between two banks of seats worked well all night until Ed took to the stage when we had approximately 5k people still to come in. “When Ed went on stage those people in the concessions /toilet area and those still entering came in through the gap but did not move on to take a place in the designated standing area, they just stopped inside the gap to watch the show. This gap was not meant to be a viewing area, it was designed to facilitate movement between areas. “This meant the people behind were unable to get into the viewing area and likewise some people were unable to get back out to the toilets for a time.
“The team are meeting to review it and are putting additional measures in place to prevent it happening again.” The singer will play a second gig tonight at the same venue.