Ed Sheeran’s two concerts at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts have been cancelled due to severe weather, but the shows had already become the centre of a growing controversy involving rapper Macklemore and stadium owner Robert Kraft. The cancellation came after all of Sheeran’s support acts quit the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, who was dropped over his onstage pro-Palestine remarks.
Why were Ed Sheeran’s Gillette Stadium shows cancelled?
The Friday and Saturday night concerts at Gillette Stadium were cancelled due to a nor’easter storm forecast to bring up to 50 millimetres of rain and wind gusts of up to 90 km/h to the Boston area. Organisers said the decision was made “following consultation with local officials, the promoter and tour,” with the safety of fans and staff as the top priority.
“Due to the severe weather warnings in place in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium,” promoters said in a statement. Refunds are available at the point of purchase, with Ticketmaster purchases automatically refunded.
The cancellation came just hours after stage construction was halted on Thursday, with crew told to pause work as the storm approached.
What is the Macklemore controversy?
The saga began on September 4 and 5, when Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as Sheeran’s support act. During his set, Macklemore declared “Free Palestine” and said he wanted the people of Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know “we have not forgotten about them.” He also performed his protest song Hind’s Hall, which condemns Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, responded by refusing to allow Macklemore to perform at his venue. Macklemore later said Kraft had “rallied some of the other stadium owners” and given Sheeran an ultimatum: “if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”
Kraft defended his decision, citing Macklemore’s “recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” He said the stadium has a commitment to “ensuring that all events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech.”
Why did the support acts quit?
Following Macklemore’s removal, all of Sheeran’s remaining support acts withdrew from the tour in solidarity. Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Irish band Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas (Billie Eilish’s brother) all announced their departures.
Finneas said artists should be able to speak about issues affecting oppressed people and expressed his support for Palestine. Lukas Graham cited its position on discussions surrounding war, civilian deaths and children affected by conflict. Their exits meant the Loop Tour had no supporting acts for its remaining dates.
What has Ed Sheeran said?
Sheeran addressed the controversy for the first time onstage in Philadelphia on September 19, opening his show alone and apologising for his “mistakes.” He told the crowd he “never wanted to be an activist musician” but the situation had put him “in the middle of an important and passionate argument about free speech.”
“What happened in Israel and at the Nova music festival on October 7th was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain,” Sheeran said. “What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives.”
Sheeran also insisted the decision to drop Macklemore was made by promoters and venues, not him. “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” he said on Instagram. “Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”
He later admitted he had questioned whether he “wanted to be an artist at all” after the furore, and said he removed his B-stage at the Philadelphia show because he was “afraid of what might happen” if he stood in the middle of the crowd.
What has been the fallout?
The controversy has had significant consequences for Sheeran. An Irish radio station, Classic Hits Radio, removed his music from its playlist following listener feedback and the withdrawal of Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga. Ticket prices for remaining shows dropped as low as $32, and sales declined for the US leg of the tour.
Macklemore has pledged his $1 million net earnings from the tour to organisations providing aid to Palestinians, and announced a European “Free Palestine” tour with shows in London, Paris and Dublin. Kraft has committed $2 million after Sheeran contacted him about contributing to humanitarian efforts.
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