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Music Planner: Ed Sheeran conquers all; Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, 5 Seconds of Summer rock the Amp

 
Ed Sheeran will play Amalie Arena on Sept. 10.
Ed Sheeran will play Amalie Arena on Sept. 10.
Published Sept. 9, 2015

ED INFINITUM: ED SHEERAN

You've heard of artists having a moment? Well, Ed Sheeran is having a moment. An hour, really. Or maybe like a year.

A live, prime-time network concert special filmed at Wembley Stadium? Check. New songs with the Weeknd and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis? There's Ed. The new FX drama The Bastard Executioner? Yep, Ed's on that, too.

Since releasing last year's platinum-selling album X (pronounced "multiply"), Sheeran, who plays Tampa's Amalie Arena tonight, has received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, an MTV VMA nomination for Video of the Year (for his gigantic hit Thinking Out Loud) and invitations to perform with everyone from John Mayer to Elton John to the Rolling Stones. Later this month, he'll co-headline a charity concert in New York's Central Park with Beyoncé, Coldplay and Pearl Jam.

Put it this way: Sheeran, for the first time, just hit No. 1 on Billboard's Artist 100, sort of a cumulative measure of an artist's overall popularity, factoring in chart success, social media buzz and general ubiquity. According to them, he's now the most popular musician on earth.

This is amazing on many levels, not least because Sheeran is really as simplistic a songwriter as they come, a guy who looks like he just got done playing for change in the Tube. His softly strummed ballads can be achingly heartfelt, his acoustic jamouts funky and feisty. For all his popularity, Sheeran's largely solo performances and general public persona don't seem that different from when he was just a frizzy young pup in America, charming teenage fans with intimate coffee shop singles like The A Team and Lego House.

To illustrate the surreality of his rise, during his recent NBC special from Wembley, Sheeran opened his diary to read a recent entry.

"Had breakfast, went to Brooklyn for the show, then went for a pizza with Jay Z and Beyoncé, and then took them to a dive bar and did Jager bombs." He laughed. "That's weird."

Yeah, no kidding.

Sheeran performs with Christina Perri and Jamie Lawson at 7:30 p.m. at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. $16.75-$66.25. (813) 301-2500. amaliearena.com.

GET AMPED

In about a week, country king Luke Bryan will take over Tampa's MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, 4802 U.S. 301 N. A kegger like that requires a few warmup parties, don't you think? Good thing the shed has three big ones planned between now and then. Here's a rundown; get more info at livenation.com or by calling (813) 740-2446.

5 Seconds of Summer

If 5 Seconds of Summer can just hang on for a few more months, they may end up being the world's biggest boy band by default. While One Direction splits apart at the seams, their Aussie ex-tourmates are prepping their sophomore album, featuring the cheeky-goofy single She's Kinda Hot. The cutie-pie quartet — a genuine band, with actual instruments and everything — refuse to take themselves too seriously, which may stave off a 1D-style dissolution down the line. God bless 'em for keeping young summer love alive as long as they can. Hey Violet opens the show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. $25 and up.

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Van Halen

This spring, I saw Sammy Hagar and his new band the Circle, featuring former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony back on bass, at Ruth Eckerd Hall. And Halenites may crucify me for saying this, but that may end up being the best Van Halen show of the year. Granted, the actual Van Halen, which hits Tampa at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, is the only one with Eddie on ax, and that makes all the difference. But have you seen David Lee Roth lately? Did you catch his nose-cracking performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live? While Van Hagar brought a genuine tequila-soaked party on Dreams, Best of Both Worlds and Jump, you have to wonder if Diamond Dave can still do the same on Panama, Hot for Teacher and Dance the Night Away. I'm cautiously hopeful, but you never know. Blues whiz Kenny Wayne Shepherd opens the show. $18 and up.

Kelly Clarkson

Few pop singers can belt out an inspirational rocker like Kelly Clarkson — just listen to Since U Been Gone, Miss Independent, Stronger or, from her latest release, Piece by Piece, Invincible. But Clarkson, it seems, has a wandering eye. She has talked about wanting to do a country album, a standards album, even a Broadway musical. How much longer can we expect the original American Idol to keep seeding our workout mixes with you-go-girl attitude? Better catch Clarkson in all her inspirational ebullience while you can. She'll be joined by red-hot a cappella collective Pentatonix, plus Eric Hutchinson and Abi Ann, at 7 p.m. Tuesday. $20 and up.