After Macklemore’s Removal & Opener Exodus, What’s Next for Ed Sheeran’s Tour?

On Monday, Seattle rapper Macklemore was removed from his opening slot on Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after two shows at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, where he performed his protest anthem "Hind's Hall" and said "Free Palestine" from the stage. The performances sparked criticism from figures like P!nk and Boy George, and were part of Macklemore's criticism of the Israeli government's war in Gaza.

Macklemore had originally been scheduled to perform at 10 of Sheeran's Loop Tour shows but only made two appearances at MetLife before he was pulled from the tour.

In a statement, Macklemore said that Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, had contacted him regarding the situation. Kraft reportedly said that the venue owners had banded together to force Sheeran's hand in pulling Macklemore off the tour. Sheeran himself stated that it was the venue owners who called for Macklemore to be dropped from the tour if he did not remove the "Free Palestine" statements from his performances.

The promoter, Messina Touring, also released a statement confirming that several venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates would not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, leading to the cancellation of the tour and impacting hundreds of thousands of fans.

In addition to Macklemore, openers Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe also announced they would no longer be opening for Sheeran's tour, citing their support for artists' right to free speech and their solidarity with Palestine. Beoga, Sheeran's backing band, also pulled out of the run. The exact logistics of pulling an opening act from a larger tour are unclear, but it appears that the collective decision of venue owners and the promoter played a significant role.