It was prescheduled, but the carefully timed nature of the visit didn’t dampen its delight for staff, according to Beat Street Records owner Avi Shack.
English singer and songwriting legend Ed Sheeran swung by the downtown Vancouver shop on Saturday before his record-breaking performance at BC Place that evening. Shack said he dropped by to talk music, vinyl, collectibles and more.
He also gave free tickets to staff and signed records and CDs for them.
“Very nice guy,” Shack told Global News on Monday. “He was very down to earth, he was like one of the guys. He just wanted to come and hang out, and probably show his face in public and get some interaction with the local music vibes.”
Beat Street Records on West Hastings Street had to shut down for the interaction. Shack said Sheeran arrived with a “sizable” crew that included personal security and publicists.
Some of the team members shopped while Sheeran engaged with the shop staff.
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“He set us up with a suite at his show, which was very nice of him. He also signed a bunch of records for us that we’re going to retail at regular price for his fans to come in and purchase,” Shack said.
That merchandise went on sale on a first-come, first-served basis at noon on Monday.
Sheeran, whose hits include Shape of You, Thinking Out Loud, Bad Habits and Perfect, smashed the record for audience attendance at a BC Place concert.
More than 65,000 people attended, surpassing the 64,000 who went to see U2 in 2009 when the previous record was set.
“Congratulations to Ed Sheeran on his remarkable achievement of breaking the attendance record at BC Place Stadium,” said BC Place general manager Chris May said in a Saturday news release.
“The energy and excitement radiating from the crowd were nothing short of electric. It’s our mission at the stadium to bring people together for unforgettable moments, and on this particular occasion, over 65,000 individuals came together to etch their mark in BC Place history.”
Sheeran’s record, however, may be in jeopardy with shows from Beyoncé, Coldplay and Guns N’ Roses coming to the venue this fall.
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