Ed Sheeran says situation in Gaza is 'catastrophic and unjustifiable' as he opens Philadelphia show

On September 19, Ed Sheeran performed a solo concert in Philadelphia, addressing the situation in Gaza during his set. "My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, of children's lives," the British singer-songwriter said in a powerful statement. Sheeran expressed that he wanted his music and shows to promote unity and humanity, rather than politics.

He also mentioned the controversy surrounding his supporting acts withdrawing in solidarity with Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour for making pro-Palestinian comments. Sheeran has been touring solo since Loop Tour began but had been joined by Beoga, an Irish folk band, for several songs during the show. Macklemore, the original US opener, was replaced by Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, but they too withdrew from the tour.

The show still had available tickets, and Sheeran's team did not announce any replacement acts. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the stadium prior to the performance, with some attendees disappointed that Sheeran did not take a more direct stance on the issue.