ED Sheeran will be joined by a couple old friends on his European tour which kicks off next week.
Leamington duo Nizlopi – Luke Concannon and John Parker – are reforming to support the chart-topping singer-songwriter on five dates of the European leg of his Loop tour – including Coventry Building Society Arena’s Indoor Arena on Friday December 5.
Ed credits the folk-pop duo, best known for their 2005 number one single JCB Song, as a massive influence.
In an interview for Deseret Island Discs in 2017, Ed said: “Basically, everything from my live set, the way I control my voice, the way I control the audience, the way I play the guitar even, the way I used beat box… this comes from this band.”
The relationship stretches back to the time the then 14-year-old Ed became a Nizlopi “superfan” after seeing them play at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
He then wrote to them repeatedly asking for ‘work experience’ and the duo finally agreed and invited him to become their guitar tech.
The friendship has endured and Ed even sponsored John £10,000 when he did a marathon in aid of Myton Hospice who had supported the bass player’s mother at the end of her life.
The invite to join Ed at the sold out shows in Paris, Munich, Manchester, Coventry and Dublin, came about after the friends had been chatting about the upcoming release on vinyl of the band’s debut album, Half These Songs Are About You, and JCB Song.
Luke said he was excited and nervous to be opening for Ed on the tour.
He added: “Ed was our intern, our work experience kid, he was our biggest fan, and now he’s the most successful British live musician of all time.”
“Ed is a young master at this singer-songwriter thing and it’s amazing that he counts Nizlopi as a part of his formation. I’m excited and nervous to be opening for him on his European tour.”
Despite Nizolipi calling it a day some 15 years ago, they have still played together on and off over the years, but now both mainly purse their own musical paths.
Luke went travelling following the split and finally finished up settling in the USA while continuing to release new music. Invigorated by a hitch-hiking trip to Palestine, Luke wrote his first solo album Give It All, released in 2013.
Luke, who now lives in rural Vermont with his wife and newly arrived son, has just released his latest solo album Midnight Bloom.
It marks a welcome return after he was diagnosed with IBS and burn-out, leading to three years of poor health, fatigue and lost creativity.
His Nizlopi other half, former Trinity School best friend John, keeps himself musically busy mainly through session work.
Coventry has become a regular haunt for pop superstar Ed in recent years.
In 2021 he performed at the official launch of the HMV Empire Coventry, and in January this year he visited three venues across the city where he was introduced to Coventry Music service’s inclusive programmes and the breadth of inspiring work they do.
He took part in a creative beat making, rap and grime session at Coventry Academy, led a creative music making session hosted by Barr’s Hill School and attended by pupils from schools across the city, before he rounded off his visit at grassroots music venue The TIN Music and Arts, where he was introduced to groups involved in local music initiatives Live On Stage, Positive Choices and Band Together.
