You know what happens when you don’t give up on life? You live long enough to see the realization of some of your long-forgotten dreams: like seeing Ed Sheeran perform live on stage.
The euphoria still lingers days after the Mathematics Tour in Manila. We’ve returned to work now as if the weekend didn’t happen. Yet, amid the hustle, echoes of Ed Sheeran’s live performance still resonate in my ears, each song playing a soundtrack that has subtly shaped the narrative of this life.
What a time, indeed, it is to be alive.
A Decade of Fandom
My 15-year-old self—who used to dream of marrying Ed Sheeran—can finally put a rest to her delulu now.
What began as a fascination with The A-Team’s lyrics has now transformed into a playlist that offers solace during challenging times, adds joy to every milestone, and provides a sense of comfort when nothing seems quite right. Thereon, I’ve transitioned, evolved, and experimented with so many things, as did Ed with his albums and music genre.
I remembered how furious I was back in 2015 during his X Tour. I even wrote a blog expressing my younger self’s disappointment—ah, such bliss to worry about these kinds of things back then. How naïve I was. That year turned out to be tough for me—our house got destroyed in a fire, and I had to put my post-graduate studies on hold, not to mention all the other struggles that came along the way.
But here’s the funny thing about life: when you cease insisting on what you want, it often grants you precisely what you’ve been dreaming of. It guides you to the very things your heart has yearned for. Manifest, as Gen Zs aptly phrased it.
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
Now, this line makes more sense. Back in college, Christine and I used to commute home together since our houses were close along the way. As the demands of college life intensified, we found ourselves heading home later, making it increasingly challenging to secure transportation, especially with crowded PUJs filled with both workers and students heading home altogether.
Instead of getting upset, our youthful energy back then usually helped us stay calm amid the chaos. Christine would say, “Good things come to those who wait,” and it turned out to be true. This saying became our mantra over the years until we graduated—and now, it makes even more sense. It’s not just about waiting for transportation; it holds true to life.
Patience does pay off. Not only were we able to enjoy an album tour, but an ‘albums’ tour—a well-curated setlist from Plus to Autumn Variations, with add-on tracks with Ben&Ben (Maybe the Night) and one made famous by Justin Bieber (Love Yourself).
The cherry on top? Christine and I both made it to the concert—and even made a side trip to the Pintô Art Museum! As Yeong-ju of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop puts it: “What a happy thing it was to meet a person on the same wavelength.”
So, there we were: two adults who often complain about back pain and aching knees, jumping and screaming our hearts out like teenagers. Riding the hype and vibe for a solid seven hours—from Calum Scott’s dusk performance to Ben&Ben’s heartwarming songs, to finally jamming with Ed Sheeran’s emotional ride from the opening Tides until that Bad Habits encore.
From two-broke-college-friends who got LSS to Lego House to two-still-broke-titas singing our hearts out with Ed Sheeran for almost three hours. What a time, indeed, to be alive.
Life’s Small Epiphanies
And somewhere along Ed Sheeran’s loop pedal performance, frustrated rap solos, and love song serenades, came a realization: life is not always about purpose. It doesn’t need to be as complicated as society makes it seem.
Because you know what? Finding your purpose isn’t everything. Although a life without purpose may feel as arid as a life without tears, finding your purpose doesn’t automatically ensure happiness. You get better chances of happiness when you learn to live one moment at a time—when you learn to find your pockets of peace and joy. And in this case, a two-and-a-half-hour of a decades-old dream coming to life—and sometimes, it’s enough.
As Ed Sheeran puts it: “In the pockets of my jeans are only coins and broken dreams.” Yet, I’d like to add that if you hold on to them just a little bit longer, the universe might unveil something unexpectedly beautiful. Those coins might jingle into unforeseen opportunities, and those broken dreams might reshape into unexpected blessings.
Maybe it’s still worth keeping going—perhaps until the next concert, or the one that follows, and beyond.
Mathematics Tour Setlist Manila 2024
Reflecting on my frustration in 2015, let me share the setlist that made this concert well worth the wait—along with some lyrics that resonate with me. Because, at times, a single statement can alter the way you perceive things.
Tides
Blow
I’m a Mess
Shivers
The A-Team
Castle on the Hill
Don’t/No Diggity
Lego House
Eyes Closed
Give Me Love – (would have been nice if he played ‘Parting Glass’)
Dive
American Town
Medley: River, Peru, Beautiful People, South of the Border, I Don’t Care
Overpass Graffiti
Galway Girl
Thinking Out Loud
Love Yourself (written for Justin Bieber; produced by Benny Blanco)
Sing
Photograph
Tenerife Sea
Happier
Maybe the Night (w/ Ben&Ben)
Perfect
Bloodstream
Afterglow
You Need Me, I Don’t Need You
Shape of You
Bad Habits
I truly hope you find your version of pockets of happiness and peace. And if you’re a fellow Sheerio, looking forward to meeting you at the next concert—hopefully not another seven years from now, as Ed Sheeran promised.
Dakilanglaagan 