Photo Credit: Bill Kelly

On June 30, Ed Sheeran brought his current tour to the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Ahead of the show, the British singer-songwriter announced a shift in the lineup after his special guest, Khalid, had to take a break from touring after getting in a car accident days before his scheduled appearance in The Bay State. As a result, John Mayer filled the R&B/soul singer’s role, sitting in during the concert. 

Mayer appeared during the night’s full-band delivery of the Sheeran original “Think Out Loud.” The song initially appeared on the artist’s second studio album, titled x. Also, it became one of Sheeran’s biggest hits in the U.S. at the time of its release, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, until it was lapsed by another original, “Shape of You.” 

Before Friday’s collaboration, Mayer and Sheeran had performed “Think Out Load” on previous occasions, including an April 10, 2019, stop in Tokyo. Sharing the stage again last night, the pair dove into the arrangement with Mayer on guitar in a supportive role, adding riffs, accentuating the original format, and trickling lyrics during the chorus. 

Mayer will return to Dead & Company’s Final Tour tonight. The band is scheduled to kick off their Boulder, Colo., run at Folsom Field, participating in shows planned for July 1 through 3 before returning to The Gorge on July 7.