The ‘Gram-worthy immersive activations include a paint by numbers station.
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.
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:
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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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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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.
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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Ed Sheeran’s Subtract pop-up is open this weekend at the following locations
All of Ed Sheeran’s Subtract pop-ups have the exact same hours in their respective time zones:
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.