Ed Sheeran Sets Up Pink ‘Play’ Phone Boxes Around Europe Previewing LP

Ed Sheeran has found yet another novel way to promote his upcoming Play album. After opening a pop-up pub in Ipswich, MA and encouraging fans to share archival messages and videos from their “Old Phone” and recording several international takes on the album’s first single, “Azizam,” the singer dialed up a new clever idea over the weekend.

“The Play Phone Booth spotted in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Madrid and Naples this weekend! Who dropped by and which song teaser was your favourite?,” he wrote on X along with images of fans stepping into the booths that mimic the iconic look of London’s red phone boxes. One close-up shot shows that the booths were stocked with drink coasters for “The Old Phone” pub.

Sheeran released the nostalgic video for “Old Phone” last week in which the singer recalled the inspiration for the song. “I was finding text messages from people that aren’t even here anymore and reading conversations with people I wish I could have conversations with now,” he says in voiceover. That revelation led to the idea for the bespoke, pop-up pub in Ipswich in March, where fans were invited after sending a video or message from an old phone that had meaning to them.

That promo bit was preceded by a series of surprise mini-concerts at other bars in Boston and Nashville, as well as a pop-in at Nashville’s Santa’s Pub with Noah Kahan for a short dual set and reconstruction the pop-up pub at the Coachella Festival. Sheeran is also gearing up to preview Play (Sept. 12) during a three-night run of summer shows with an all-star roster of support acts at Suffolk Town’s Portman Road Stadium, home of his beloved Ipswich Town FC football club, which he owns a minority stake in.

The shows on July 11, 12 and 13 will feature support from, respectively, Myles Smith and Tori Kelly on night one, Busted and Dylan on night two and James Blunt and Maisie Peters on the final evening.

Check out images from Sheeran’s Play Phone Booth stunt below.