{
  "id": 8591902,
  "title": "Ed Sheeran Says Security Concerns Caused Him to Change Stage Setup in Philadelphia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/ed-sheeran-says-security-concerns-caused-him-to-change-stage-setup-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T02:52:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Consequence",
    "slug": "consequence",
    "url": "https://consequence.net/2026/09/ed-sheeran-stage-security-concerns-philadelphia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ed Sheeran revealed on Saturday night that his initial concerns about audience reactions led him to alter his stage setup during his first performance in Philadelphia following a tour fallout with Macklemore. He openly admitted to being apprehensive about potential objects being thrown at him, which prompted him to remove the B-stage, usually situated in the middle of the audience. The singer also took the initiative to construct a new live band on notice after the withdrawal of Beoga from the tour, in support of Macklemore. Sheeran collaborated with his longtime collaborator, Alicia Enstrom, who managed to assemble a group of musicians who agreed to join him on stage despite the anticipation of negative reactions from the audience. These musicians had only three days to learn the songs, which Sheeran emphasized in his gratitude towards them. This performance marked Sheeran's return to the stage after Macklemore was removed as the support act from the tour. During his set, Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding the tour, the issue of venues potentially limiting artists' freedom of speech, and his own perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict.",
  "summary": "\"I didn't know what this audience would be like tonight. I didn't know if I would have things thrown at me.\" Ed Sheeran Says Security Concerns Caused Him to Change Stage Setup in Philadelphia Alex Young",
  "key_points": [
    "Ed Sheeran altered stage setup due to security concerns",
    "Removed B-stage to prevent objects from being thrown",
    "Assembled new live band in 3 days for performance"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Ed Sheeran's altered stage setup and hastily assembled live band suggest that he prioritized caution in his first Philadelphia performance after a public feud with Macklemore, potentially to mitigate hostile audience reactions.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}