Ed Sheeran Removes B-Stage Over Security Concerns in Philadelphia

Views 12 Published by September 20, 2026

Ed Sheeran altered his stage setup for his first Philadelphia show following tour turmoil, citing uncertainty about audience reception and removing the B-stage positioned in the crowd.

Ed Sheeran admitted uncertainty about how audiences would receive him during his first show back in Philadelphia on September 20, 2026, prompting adjustments to his live setup.

“I’m gonna be totally honest with you: I didn’t know what this audience would be like tonight,” Sheeran said during the performance. “I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me.” He added, “I took the B-stage out because I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle, and I will admit that.”

Sheeran was forced to assemble a new live band on short notice after Beoga withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. He called longtime collaborator Alicia Enstrom, who helped recruit musicians willing to join him onstage on brief notice.

“They’ve had three days to learn these songs,” Sheeran explained to the crowd. “They said yes to being on stage with the knowledge that the world thought I was a certain type of person,” he said. “They said yes with the knowledge that the world may hate them, too, for standing on stage with me. And I am so grateful.”