The Mathematics Tour is resulting in massive numbers for Ed Sheeran.
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter performed two shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on June 10 and 11 with a record-breaking attendance of 173,390 fans at the venue, resulting in a box office gross of $18 million, the stadium confirms to PEOPLE.
“Played my biggest ever USA show today and broke the ticket record at MetLife,” wrote Sheeran, 32, on Instagram earlier this week alongside an aerial video from the packed concert.
Following his performance, the stadium displayed a message on screens that read, “Congratulations Ed Sheeran,” noting that the “Perfect” musician broke the venue’s all-time attendance record with 89,106 people at a single concert.
“I really don’t take this for granted, my dad told me if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere,” continued Sheeran’s post, “and today was really reminiscing about playing my first show at mercury lounge in 2012 to 130 people.”
He added, “It feels like a dream today. I love you all.”
According to reps for MetLife Stadium, the single-show attendance record was previously held by U2, which previously filled the venue with 88,491 fans on the band’s 360° Tour in 2011.
Sheeran’s +–=÷× Tour (pronounced “Mathematics”) continues with two shows at Toronto’s Rogers Centre this weekend, and he’ll make stops in cities including Detroit, Nashville, Chicago, Seattle and more before wrapping on Sept. 23 with a performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Throughout the tour, he’s also made stops at smaller venues for intimate performances. Last month, Sheeran made a surprise appearance at Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewing Company, where he poured pints and sang a few tunes hours before his headlining show at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
“So I’m in Atlanta and I’ve been told that there are some breweries that are good in Atlanta so I’m gonna go to this brewery, serve some beers, play a gig, and then buy everyone in the beer garden drinks,” he said in an Instagram video. “Beers on me.”
After a short tour of the facilities, where he checked out a beer made of hemp and a canning line, Sheeran hopped behind the bar to serve the starstruck customers.
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He then headed outside to the beer garden for a short acoustic set, during which he played “Eyes Closed” and “Perfect.”
“For one hour, drinks are on me,” he told the crowd. “Enjoy the free beers!”
SweetWater later shared photos of Sheeran hanging out at the brewery, writing: “We couldn’t think of a better way to get the holiday weekend started than with some hops and harmonies with Ed!”
Later that night, Sheeran played for a crowd of 76,000 people at Mercedes Benz Stadium, setting a new attendance record for a concert, according to the venue.
And last week, he learned to make — and serve! — a Philly cheesesteak before his gig in the city of Brotherly Love.
[via]
