Ed Sheeran Brings Childhood Dreams to Life with Surprise ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ Performance
Ed Sheeran just proved he’s still a teenage dirtbag at heart—and he brought some friends along to prove it. During his July 5 concert at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany, the…
Ed Sheeran just proved he’s still a teenage dirtbag at heart—and he brought some friends along to prove it.
During his July 5 concert at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany, the 34-year-old pop star gave fans a throwback treat by performing Wheatus’ early-2000s anthem “Teenage Dirtbag”—with none other than Wheatus frontman Brendan B. Brown himself.
“I’ve got a cool surprise for you, it’s really quite cool, but bear with me,” Sheeran teased the crowd, according to fan video. And he wasn’t exaggerating.
Before launching into the nostalgic tune, Sheeran shared that he recently reunited with his childhood band to play the song at a friend’s wedding. The experience sparked an idea: why not bring the same joy to his fans?
“I’m gonna email the lead singer and see if he’ll come and sing it,” Sheeran explained to the crowd. “And he’s flown over especially from New York just for this, and it’s gonna be f---ing awesome, I can’t wait.”
The crowd roared as Brown joined Sheeran onstage. Together, they rocked the stadium with the Y2K hit, including the high-pitched bridge that fans love to belt:
“I've got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby / Come with me Friday, don't say maybe / I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like you, ooh.”
Sheeran later shared the moment on Instagram, writing, “Used to play Teenage Dirtbag with my high school band when I was 12. We reformed after 22 years to play our mate's wedding in April, but we had so much fun I asked them to come rock it with me at a stadium.”
He added that asking Brendan from @wheatusofficial to join was “cheeky,” but “being the ledge that he is, he did.”
“One of my fav moments ever on stage, thank you Brendan. What a night x,” Sheeran wrote.
Wheatus’ official Instagram account chimed in too, commenting, “BEST DAY EVER!!!! 💛🩵”
Ed also posted behind-the-scenes clips showing Brown rehearsing the track and hanging out backstage, bringing fans even closer to the unexpected jam session.
The performance also hit a sweet spot for fans who remember when "Teenage Dirtbag" had a viral comeback in 2022 thanks to a TikTok trend where people paired the song with photos of their awkward teenage years.
Sheeran is currently continuing his summer tour across Europe ahead of the release of his new album Play, due out September 12.
So if you ever sang “Teenage Dirtbag” into a hairbrush or played air guitar to it in your room, you’re in good company. Ed Sheeran did too—and now, he’s living that dream on the big stage.
