Experiences

I Went To Ed Sheeran's Subtract Pop-Up With Exclusive Merch

The ‘Gram-worthy immersive activations include a paint by numbers station.

Lara Walsh

Ed Sheeran’s sixth album, Subtract (or “—”), is finally here, with plenty of catchy summer anthems. To celebrate its May 5 release, I visited The Subtract Experience, which is a ‘Gram-worthy interactive pop-up from American Express and the “Shape of You” singer inspired by his new songs’ videos and lyrics.

Lara Walsh

From Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7, Sheerios in NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Boston can walk through the interactive experience and shop unique Subtract merch. If you’re like me and have “Perfect” at the top of your Spotify most-played list, you’ll love that the pop-up has so many Ed easter eggs throughout and fun ways to experience the new album.

Here’s what you can’t miss:

Lara Walsh

Ed Sheeran’s Subtract Merch

Amex’s artist pop-ups always have great merch, and the Subtract pop-up is no exception. You can score beanies, T-shirts, hoodies, water bottles, and more emblazoned with the album’s iconic “—” in yellow.

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Lara Walsh

Amex Card Members also have access to a city-specific black hooded Subtract sweatshirt, which costs $85, as well as a fast lane for checking out quickly.

American Express

Subtract Pop-Up Photo Opps

The Subtract pop-up has a few photo opps that fans will instantly recognize as references to the songs and music videos from his new album. There’s a photo wall featuring lyrics from Subtract’s new songs, a diner-inspired set-up, and a cozy cabin where you can sit at Sheeran’s desk and write in his Subtract journal.

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Lara Walsh

Make sure to grab a Story or TikTok at the pier, which is inspired by the Suffolk, England one from Ed Sheeran’s “Eyes Closed” music video.

Lara Walsh

Subtract Pop-Up Activations

My favorite parts of the Subtract pop-up are all the interactive activations that encourage fans to tap into their artistic side. At the Chicago location, there are colored pencils and paper right when you walk in, as well as a giant paint by numbers mural of the Subtract album cover that you can add to during your visit.

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Lara Walsh

A visit to the Subtract pop-up wouldn’t be complete without a stop in the listening room, where you can experience the album’s music videos with immersive sound and Dolby Vision.

Lara Walsh

It’s always been important to me that I share my music with the world in a meaningful way. Thanks to American Express, we are bringing ‘—’ to life with exclusive merch and immersive rooms.

—Ed Sheeran tells Elite Daily

Ed Sheeran’s Subtract pop-up is open this weekend at the following locations

  • The Subtract NYC Pop-Up Address: 105 Wooster St, New York, NY 10012
  • The Subtract LA Pop-Up Address: 8483 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
  • The Subtract Chicago Pop-Up Address: 1200 West Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
  • The Subtract Dallas Pop-Up Address: 2117 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75201
  • The Subtract Boston Pop-Up Address: 81 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116
Lara Walsh

All of Ed Sheeran’s Subtract pop-ups have the exact same hours in their respective time zones:

  • May 5 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • May 6 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
  • May 7 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Subtract, the album, is now available for streaming and purchase. For more information about the Subtract pop-up shops, visit Ed Sheeran’s official web store.

Lara Walsh

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