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CultureQuiet 3d · day 10

Ed Sheeran resumes tour solo in Philadelphia after opener walkout over Macklemore

Sheeran's Loop Tour returns Saturday without any supporting acts, all of whom quit in solidarity with Macklemore after he was dropped for pro-Palestinian remarks.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 5d ago350 pieces47k likes & upvotes6.1k comments RedditBlueskyMastodonNewswiresGoogle NewsYouTubeX

Part of a larger narrative

The Macklemore-Ed Sheeran Tour Fallout

2 stories · since Sep 11 · newest 2d ago — Ed Sheeran's US tour becomes engulfed in controversy after removing opener Macklemore for pro-Palestine remarks, triggering a cascade of lineup departures and…

  1. Ed Sheeran resumes tour solo in Philadelphia after opener walkout over Macklemoreyou are here
  2. Sheeran's US tour unravels as openers quit over Macklemore's Gaza ouster

What to know

  • Sheeran is set to play Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field Saturday, likely solo, after every supporting act on his Loop Tour withdrew.
  • The walkout follows Macklemore's removal as opener after he shouted "Free Palestine" onstage Sept. 5, a decision Sheeran says he did not make and attributes to the promoter, urged on by Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
  • Macklemore pledged $1 million to Palestinian relief and challenged Kraft to match it; Kraft's spokesperson says he and Sheeran each agreed to donate $2 million, with the destination of funds unspecified.
  • A pro-Palestinian coalition plans to protest outside Saturday's show; Sheeran's representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

“Free Palestine”

Macklemore, Musician, dropped opening act · Associated Press ↗ · Sep 4

Ed SheeranEd Sheeran Tour headlinerMacklemore Original opening act, dropped from tourRobert KraftRobert Kraft New England Patriots owner, stadium owner on tour routeFinneas Musician due to join Sheeran's South America leg

Ed Sheeran resumes tour solo in Philadelphia after opener walkout over Macklemore
Philadelphia Inquirer

How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments

Peak 90 pieces in 3h at Sep 19, 9 PM; 350 pieces over 10 days (152 articles · 20 videos · 107 posts · 71 comments) Sep 14, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 14, 3 PM — 3 pieces · 3 comments — Reddit 3Sep 14, 6 PM — quietSep 14, 9 PM — quietSep 15, 12 AM — quietSep 15, 3 AM — quietSep 15, 6 AM — quietSep 15, 9 AM — quietSep 15, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Sep 15, 3 PM — 4 pieces · 1 article · 3 posts — Mastodon 2, Bluesky 1, Newswires 1Sep 15, 6 PM — quietSep 15, 9 PM — quietSep 16, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 16, 3 AM — quietSep 16, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 16, 9 AM — quietSep 16, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 video — YouTube 1Sep 16, 3 PM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 1 video · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1, YouTube 1Sep 16, 6 PM — quietSep 16, 9 PM — quietSep 17, 12 AM — quietSep 17, 3 AM — quietSep 17, 6 AM — quietSep 17, 9 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Sep 17, 12 PM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Google News 2, Bluesky 1Sep 17, 3 PM — quietSep 17, 6 PM — quietSep 17, 9 PM — quietSep 18, 12 AM — quietSep 18, 3 AM — quietSep 18, 6 AM — quietSep 18, 9 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 18, 12 PM — quietSep 18, 3 PM — quietSep 18, 6 PM — 4 pieces · 2 articles · 2 posts — Google News 2, Mastodon 2Sep 18, 9 PM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, Mastodon 1Sep 19, 12 AM — 4 pieces · 2 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 2, X 1, Mastodon 1Sep 19, 3 AM — 6 pieces · 4 articles · 2 posts — Mastodon 3, Newswires 2, Google News 1Sep 19, 6 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 2, Newswires 1Sep 19, 9 AM — 4 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts · 1 comment — Reddit 2, Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 19, 12 PM — 12 pieces · 5 articles · 4 posts · 3 comments — Mastodon 4, Newswires 3, Reddit 3, +2 moreSep 19, 3 PM — 5 pieces · 5 articles — Newswires 5Sep 19, 6 PM — 35 pieces · 24 articles · 2 videos · 9 posts — Newswires 23, Mastodon 7, X 3, +1 moreSep 19, 9 PM — 90 pieces · 45 articles · 7 videos · 27 posts · 11 comments — Newswires 34, Mastodon 25, Bluesky 14, +3 moreSep 20, 12 AM — 42 pieces · 9 articles · 2 videos · 15 posts · 16 comments — Bluesky 17, Mastodon 14, Newswires 9, +1 moreSep 20, 3 AM — 33 pieces · 6 articles · 2 videos · 9 posts · 16 comments — Bluesky 14, Mastodon 7, Newswires 6, +2 moreSep 20, 6 AM — 33 pieces · 13 articles · 1 video · 5 posts · 14 comments — Google News 10, Reddit 9, Bluesky 6, +3 moreSep 20, 9 AM — 17 pieces · 9 articles · 5 posts · 3 comments — Mastodon 5, Newswires 5, Reddit 4, +1 moreSep 20, 12 PM — 11 pieces · 6 articles · 2 videos · 3 posts — Newswires 5, Mastodon 3, YouTube 2, +1 moreSep 20, 3 PM — 10 pieces · 1 article · 1 video · 6 posts · 2 comments — Mastodon 3, X 3, Reddit 2, +2 moreSep 20, 6 PM — 6 pieces · 3 articles · 1 video · 1 post · 1 comment — Newswires 2, Reddit 2, YouTube 1, +1 moreSep 20, 9 PM — 6 pieces · 5 posts · 1 comment — Mastodon 5, Reddit 1Sep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 3 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 21, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 9 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quiet 12345
Sep 15Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22now · 3:50 AM ET
  1. 5

    Sheeran set to resume tour alone in Philadelphia

    Sheeran is scheduled to play Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday with no listed replacement acts and tickets still available as of Friday; a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups plans to protest outside the venue.

    “spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge…”
    — Ed Sheeran, Tour headliner · source
    1. 13 outlets Ed Sheeran calls situation in Gaza ‘unjustifiable’ in first concert since Macklemore controversy

      first by NBC News, 4d ago · also Al-Monitor, Times of Israel, SCMP, CBS News, ABC News, Al Jazeera +6

      12 more headlines
    2. 10 outlets Protesters gather in Philly ahead of Ed Sheeran’s first concert since Macklemore kicked off tour

      first by NY Post, 4d ago · also RTE News, The Wrap, BBC, Channel 4, ITVX, Evening Standard +3

      10 more headlines
    5 more claims →

    • Ed Sheeran has inadvertently opened the gates of hell for Israel. He's made it okay for artists to speak out against the Israeli genocide of Palestinians. It's got that 1985 Artists United Against Apartheid, Sun City vibe...

      @KerryBurgessX5d ago23k▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 111 posts in this stretch
    • qasimrashid.com

      Ed Sheeran: I was silent on Palestine because I never wanted to be an activist musician. Also Ed Sheeran: I’m throwing a concert for the people of Ukraine suffering under Russia’s war

      qasimrashid.comBluesky4d ago1.5k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    • servelan@newsie.social

      Solo. No opening acts. None. Ed Sheeran opens solo concert with comments about Gaza | Israel-Palestine conflict News | Al Jazeera https://www. aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2 026/9/20/ed-sheeran-opens-solo-concert-with-comments-about-gaza?traffic_source=rss

      servelan@newsie.socialMastodon4d ago7▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 1 day quiet
  3. 4

    Replacement openers and backing acts quit in solidarity

    Macklemore's replacements, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe, along with backing band Beoga and Finneas — who was to join Sheeran's South America leg — all withdrew from the tour this week.

    1. 11 outlets Ed Sheeran is set to return to stage for 1st time since Macklemore was cut and other acts withdrew

      first by Philadelphia Inquirer, 5d ago · also NY Post, Boston Globe, Breitbart, CTV News, Le Monde EN, ABC Australia +4

      7 more headlines
    2. 1 outlet Lewis Hamilton Joins These Celebrities Backing Macklemore After His Removal From Ed Sheeran’s Tour

      first by Forbes Business, 7d ago

  4. 3

    Macklemore pledges $1M, challenges Kraft to match

    Macklemore said Wednesday he is donating $1 million to Palestinian relief efforts and called on Kraft to match the gift; a Kraft spokesperson later said Kraft and Sheeran had each agreed to donate $2 million, without specifying where the money would go.

  5. 2

    Sheeran denies responsibility, blames the tour promoter

    In a Tuesday statement, Sheeran said he was not responsible for dropping Macklemore, said the promoter made the call, and said he would not be drawn into discussion of the Gaza war because his fans don't attend shows to hear about it.

    1. 9 outlets Ed Sheeran addresses Gaza at solo Pa. show amid tour controversy, protests

      first by PennLive, 4d ago · also NYT, Anadolu Agency, Deutsche Welle EN, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Baltimore Sun +2

      7 more headlines
    2. 4 outlets Ed Sheeran addresses Macklemore controversy at Philadelphia show

      first by BBC, 4d ago · also Consequence, Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

      3 more headlines
    4 more claims →

    • Ed Sheeran taking the truly unique “I respect Macklemore as an artist, but not as a person” stance

      kattenbarge.bsky.socialBluesky8d ago2.4k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
    • WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social

      What a f**king mess. How Ed Sheeran's tour imploded over a geopolitical fight # Politics # Music https://www. axios.com/2026/09/15/ed-sheera n-loop-tour-macklemore-gaza-backlash

      WarnerCrocker@mastodon.socialMastodon8d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    • theserfstv.bsky.social

      Macklemore's statement on behalf of Ed Sheeran was better than Ed Sheeran's actual statement

      theserfstv.bsky.socialBluesky8d ago249▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  6. 1

    Macklemore is dropped as Sheeran's opener at Kraft's urging

    Macklemore was removed from the tour lineup in response to his comments, a decision Sheeran says came at the urging of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns a stadium on the tour route.

    1. 1 outlet first by The Globe and Mail, 5d ago · read ↗

    • Generally speaking the venues insert morality clauses into performer contracts that would allow them to terminate the deal and remunerate themselves if they decide an artist's conduct harms their reputation by association. A venue owner would notify Ed that he is in breach of the contract, and give him the choice to either fulfil the contract by…

      Bangkok_Dangeresquer/Music9d agoview on r/Music ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch

    • It’s not that many people and Macklemore’s people just don’t count?, and you assume Ed would actually be cancelled. Plus he could still pay his staff. Free speech is worth that risk, not being a bitch is worth that risk

      IamTheEndOfRedditr/Music9d agoview on r/Music ↗

    • Its current news about two musicians… you wonder why it would be in the music sub?

      marshcarr/Music9d agoview on r/Music ↗
    all of them →
  7. background

    Macklemore shouts "Free Palestine" during New Jersey show — Macklemore, Sheeran's original U.S. opener, exclaimed "Free Palestine" onstage during a Sept. 5 show in New Jersey.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets Demonstrators descend on the Linc ahead of an Ed Sheeran concert, decrying the rapper Macklemore’s removal from the tour for his pro-Palestinian comments

    first by Philadelphia Inquirer, 4d ago · also BBC, Fox News, Al Jazeera

    3 more headlines
  2. 4 outlets ‘I’m so, so sorry’: Ed Sheeran labels war in Gaza ‘catastrophic and unjustifiable’

    first by The Age, 4d ago · also The Daily Telegraph, France 24 EN, Sydney Morning Herald

    2 more headlines
  3. 4 outlets Ed Sheeran: Israel’s treatment of Gazans ‘unjustifiable,’ apologizes for Macklemore controversy

    first by ctvnews.ca, 4d ago · also Dawn, CNBC, Reuters

    2 more headlines
  4. 4 outlets What Ed Sheeran told fans before playing a single song in Philadelphia

    first by NJ.com, 4d ago · also MassLive, PennLive, The Oregonian

  5. 3 outlets Protests planned outside Ed Sheeran concert following Macklemore row | ITV News

    first by ITVX, 4d ago · also The Telegraph, Middle East Eye

    2 more headlines
  6. 3 outlets Watch: Fans cheer as Ed Sheeran speaks out over Macklemore controversy at show

    first by BBC, 4d ago · also Jerusalem Post, Bangkok Post

    1 more headline
  7. 2 outlets Ed Sheeran breaks down in tears as he returns to the stage for first show after Macklemore controversy: ‘I’m so, so sorry’

    first by NY Post, 4d ago · also The Telegraph

    2 more headlines
  8. 2 outlets Ed Sheeran fans support singer at first concert since Macklemore tour row

    first by Evening Standard, 4d ago · also RTE News

    2 more headlines
  9. 2 outlets Ed Sheeran to return to stage for the first time after Macklemore’s exit

    first by Indian Express, 5d ago · also Forbes Business

    1 more headline
  10. 2 outlets Ed Sheeran concert set to go ahead after outcry over Gaza

    first by Al Jazeera, 4d ago · also Fox News

    1 more headline

and 10 smaller pieces

What people are saying 18 voices from 4 sites · best of 117 · verbatim