The − Tour (pronounced The Subtract Tour) was the fifth
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often, concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific ...
by English singer-songwriter
Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
. Comprising 29 shows across four legs, the tour commenced on 23 March 2023 in Manchester, England, and concluded on 22 September 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
The tour supported Sheeran's sixth studio album, ''
−
The plus sign () and the minus sign () are mathematical symbols used to denote positive and negative functions, respectively. In addition, the symbol represents the operation of addition, which results in a sum, while the symbol represents ...
'', which was released on 5 May 2023.
Background
When announcing the tour on social media, Sheeran said, "I'm playing some smaller theatre shows in the US this summer, so I can play ''Subtract'' the entire way through with full band in an intimate setting."
The shows on this tour were meant to supplement his shows for the simultaneously ongoing
+–=÷× Tour. The latter were staged in large stadiums and arenas, and involved songs drawn from all of Sheeran's mathematics studio albums, while, conversely, the shows on this tour focused mostly on songs from ''−'' (2023).
Because this tour was performed in smaller, more intimate venues, between songs Sheeran explained to the audience how 2022 had been a difficult year for him. He discussed the death of his close friend
Jamal Edwards
Jamal Brendan Edwards (24 August 1990 – 20 February 2022) was an English music entrepreneur, DJ and founder of the online R&B/Hip-Hop platform SB.TV.
Edwards was an ambassador for the Prince's Trust, a youth charity which helps young peopl ...
, and how he felt when learning that his wife Cherry Seaborn had been diagnosed with a tumour while pregnant with their second daughter.
Set list
The following set list is obtained from the 19 May 2023 in Clearwater, Florida. It does not represent all dates throughout the tour.
# "
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...
"
# "Salt Water"
# "
Eyes Closed"
# "
Life Goes On"
# "Dusty"
# "End of Youth"
# "Colourblind"
# "
Curtains
A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain) water.
Curtains are often hung on the inside of a building's windows to block the passage of light. For instan ...
"
# "Borderline"
# "Spark"
# "Vega"
# "Sycamore"
# "No Strings"
# "The Hills of Aberfeldy"
# "
The A Team"
# "
Shivers"
# "
Thinking Out Loud
"Thinking Out Loud" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran recorded for his second studio album, '' ×'' (2014). It was written by Sheeran and Amy Wadge, and produced by frequent collaborator Jake Gosling. It was released in the US ...
"
# "
Perfect
Perfect commonly refers to:
* Perfection; completeness, and excellence
* Perfect (grammar), a grammatical category in some languages
Perfect may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Perfect'' (1985 film), a romantic drama
* ''Perfect'' (20 ...
"
# "
Bloodstream
In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart an ...
"
# "
Shape of You
"Shape of You" is a song by English singer Ed Sheeran. It was released on 6 January 2017 as one of the lead single, double lead singles from his third studio album ''÷ (album), ÷'' (2017), along with "Castle on the Hill". The Dancehall pop, ...
"
# "
Bad Habits"
# "
The Parting Glass"
# "
Afterglow
An afterglow in meteorology consists of several atmospheric optical phenomena, with a general definition as a broad arch of whitish or pinkish sunlight in the twilight sky, consisting of the bright segment and the purple light. Purple light mai ...
"
Notes
* On 21 July 2023 in Nashville, Sheeran performed "Head > Heels" and "Magical" from ''
Autumn Variations''.
* On 28 July 2023 in Chicago and 11 August 2023 in Minneapolis, Sheeran performed "Head > Heels", "Magical" and "Blue" from ''Autumn Variations''.
* On 18 August 2023 in Denver, Sheeran performed "Head > Heels", "Magical", "Blue", "When Will I Be Alright" and "England" from ''Autumn Variations''.
* On 25 August 2023 in Seattle and 1 September 2023 in Vancouver, Sheeran performed "Head > Heels", "Magical", "Blue", "When Will I Be Alright", "England" and "Plastic Bag" from ''Autumn Variations''.
* On 15 September 2023 in Oakland, Sheeran performed "Head > Heels", "Magical", "Blue", "
American Town" and "The Day I Was Born" from ''Autumn Variations''.
* On 22 September 2023 in Los Angeles, Sheeran performed "Head > Heels", "Blue", "Plastic Bag" and "American Town" from ''Autumn Variations''.
Tour dates
Notes
References
{{Ed Sheeran
2023 concert tours
Ed Sheeran concert tours
Concert tours of the United Kingdom
Concert tours of Ireland
Concert tours of France
Concert tours of the United States
Concert tours of Spain
Concert tours of Italy
Concert tours of Germany
Concert tours of Canada