Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran showed up in Ipswich, Massachusetts, to film a music video for his new song “Old Phone” at a pop-up English–inspired pub called The Old Phone Pub Friday.
Earlier this week Sheeran launched theoldphonepub.com, where he announced that he was working on “something exciting” and asked fans to text memorable messages and images a number found on the site. News spread quickly that the English pop star would be in Ipswich and fans turned out in full force to welcome Sheeran to this picturesque North Shore town.
During the day, Sheeran could be spotted visiting with fans, and popping into shops and eateries, including the Old Choate Pub where he performed the song “Old Phone” and had a beer with patrons. He also stopped into the Old Soul Cafe, Zumi’s Espresso, and Henry Bear Park toy shop—snapping pictures and making memories along the way.
While on the “Jimmy Fallon Show” Wednesday night, Sheeran confirmed that he was building a fully operating pub in Ipswich, Massachusetts, as the backdrop of the “Old Phone” music video. The new single is on his upcoming album titled “Play.”
He explained during the interview, “‘Old Phone’ is a song that I wrote after I was in a lawsuit, and I had to get my old devices and give them in, and I went through my old phone, it had all these text messages from friends that passed away, people I hadn’t seen in about 10 years,” Sheeran said. “That was kind of what inspired it.”
The pop star also said, “I come from a small town in the U.K., and it’s near a big town called Ipswich. I heard about this place, and I wanted to come and build the pub here, and just get involved with the community for the day.”
Ipswich welcomed Sheeran with open arms. Later in the day some fans were chosen to visit the Old Phone Pub where Sheeran would shoot the music video. On offer at the pop-up pub were Ipswich’s True North Ales and Newburyport’s Beefie Boy’s pub bites along with Guinness.
He told NBC10 Boston when asked if he was enjoying Ipswich and he responded, “Yeah, loving it. How are you?”