Ed Sheeran has performed a brand new song, “Visiting Hours”, at the Melbourne memorial for Aussie music industry great Michael Gudinski.
Gudinski died in his sleep earlier in March. At the memorial service on Wednesday, Sheeran said he finished writing “Visiting Hours” while spending two weeks in quarantine in order to say his goodbye.
During the emotional performance, Sheeran had to stop for a beat because he got so choked up. After the song, he left the stage in tears.
Ed Sheeran performs a new song he wrote while in quarantine in Australia .. coming to sing at Michael Gudinski’s Memorial Service in Melbourne. Live-streamed on YouTube now. pic.twitter.com/OMzZ08LecX
— Joe O’Brien (@JoeDoesNews) March 24, 2021
“I’m really fucking nervous,” says Ed Sheeran, who did two weeks quarantine to be able to perform for his promoter and mate Michael Gudisnki at the state memorial. #michaelgudinski pic.twitter.com/AFJoGkJgqN
— Neil McMahon (@NeilMcMahon) March 24, 2021
Ed Sheeran singing a new song he wrote for Michael last week in quarantine in Australia “Visiting Hours” – this is incredible and so emotional “this is not goodbye till we meet again” #michaelgudinski pic.twitter.com/rQJYsZ9lOV
— ALI – fan account 🌻☀️ (@Walls_hAllways) March 24, 2021
“We were, first and foremost, friends. He was a father figure and mentor to me, but also we enjoyed the peaks of our touring career together in 2018, breaking the record for most tickets sold in Australia,” Sheeran explained on Instagram earlier in March.
The chorus was a perfect send off for a dear mate and music legend: “I wish had that heaven had visiting hours.”
Not only did the song rightfully get a standing ovation, but it’s safe to say there was not a dry eye in the room.
Sheeran also played a bunch of other songs, including “The A Team” and “Castle on the Hill”.
“I have a very vivid memory at being at his house in Port Douglas at about three o’clock in the morning on deck chairs and I played him this song, “Castle on the Hill”,” Sheeran said between songs.
“He must’ve misheard the lyrics because he started, from that point, screaming whenever he saw me, ‘We were younger then!’
“I never told him it was actually, ‘I was younger then’, but from now on it’s ‘We were younger then’.”
Afterwards, Sheeran got on stage once again with Kylie Minogue to perform her bangers “All The Lovers” and “Locomotion”. There’s a lot going on here and all of it is incredible.
There’s no word yet if “Visiting Hours” will join the above songs and get an official release, but nevertheless Wednesday night’s performance touching and beautiful send-off to a true Aussie rock legend.
