Ed Sheeran in Boston for surprise visit to WBZ-TV before Old Phone Pub opening in Ipswich
opening
of the Old Phone Pub in Ipswich tonight.
This morning, he met with the anchors of WBZ News Mornings and took a tour of the studios after the newscast ended at 7 a.m.
He also recorded a special weather forecast for Ipswich in front of the green screen in the main studio.
The Old Phone Pub is a pop-up bar and will only be open for one day, according to the town of Ipswich.
It's named for the English singer-songwriter's new single "Old Phone." Sheeran
performed the song
for the first time Wednesday in an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in New York City. He said the music video for the song includes the construction of the temporary pub on Estes Street behind the Old Mill Building in Ipswich.
If you want to visit the pub, it won't be easy. Sheeran said those who'd like to check it out should get their own old phone and find an old message that means a lot to you. You can then send it to a special text line on The Old Phone Pub
website
.
If his team selects your message, it will be projected on the pub's walls. If you're able to get in, there's a
small menu
available for guests.
But, the town of Ipswich had a warning for anyone planning on coming to the pub Friday.
"Atlantic Records has informed the Town that the pub is open ONLY to those who have received a confirmation text, plus one guest. Guests must show a valid ID. Admission, for those with a valid text (no copies or screenshots) is still not guaranteed and subject to first-come, first-served access," the town said in a statement.
"The Town of Ipswich highly encourages the general public to avoid driving in the area. The pub is not in a readily visible location, and there are no public events scheduled."
Parking is also very limited in the area.
Earlier this month, Sheeran came to Boston for a
surprise performance
at The Dubliner Irish Pub in Government Center on St. Patrick's Day.
A customer told WBZ Sheeran stunned the crowd and "appeared out of nowhere."
Sheeran has an impressive history in Massachusetts.
Last summer, he headlined the first night of
Boston Calling
at the Harvard Athletic Complex. The night before that show, he went to the Garden with Renee Rapp to watch the Boston Celtics play in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Before the game,
he met with several kids
and took photos with them at Boston Children's Hospital. He also played "Perfect" and "Castle on the Hill" for patients and their families.
Sheeran is also known for packing stadiums around the world.
In July 2023, he played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro and set the
single-show attendance record
there. After the concert, he said, "I have so much history at this place. I really think that this is my favorite place to play in the United States."
Sheeran is currently on a break from his 2025 tour. It will resume April 26 in Abu Dhabi in The United Arab Emirates. For more information on tour dates and tickets, visit his
website
.
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