20 November 2025
Newsdesk
Folk music fans are set for a nostalgic treat this December as chart-topping duo Nizlopi, best known for their 2005 #1 hit ‘JCB,’ will open for Ed Sheeran on the UK and Europe leg of his LOOP tour. This announcement marks a true full-circle moment, recognizing the deep influence Nizlopi had on the global superstar early in his career.
As one half of the folk hip-hop duo, Luke Concannon became an integral part of Ed Sheeran's formative years. The young singer-songwriter famously interned for Nizlopi and credited them with inspiring his own music. Sheeran recently reiterated this gratitude, calling Concannon his “hero” and stating he owes a large part of his career to him.
Concannon expressed his mixed emotions about the upcoming shows: “Ed is a young master at this singer-songwriter thing and it’s amazing that he counts Nizlopi and I as a part of his formation. I’m excited and nervous to be opening for him on his European tour this December, I hope I get to connect with and serve those present.”
The duo will support Ed Sheeran on key December dates, including the Zénith Paris (Dec 1st), Olympiahalle, Munich (Dec 3rd), Coventry Building Society Arena (Dec 5th), Co-op Live, Manchester (Dec 7th), and the 3Arena, Dublin (Dec 9th).
The support slot coincides with the release of Luke Concannon’s new solo album, Midnight Bloom. The project is a punchy, passionate, and bold return to recording after a long period of illness and burnout. Concannon, who now lives in Vermont with his family, rekindled his creative fire by writing songs at 5 am every morning in the woods. Created in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist composer Darius Christian (who has performed with Adele and Mumford & Sons), the album is a testament to growth and recovery.
Concannon's previous solo album, Ecstatic Bird in the Burning (2022), debuted at Number 12 in the folk charts, setting the stage for his latest work and this highly anticipated run with his famous former intern.
