Ed Sheeran opened his Philadelphia concert with an apology. Standing alone onstage after his support acts and touring band withdrew, he told the crowd he had made mistakes and spoke publicly about Gaza for the first time since Macklemore was removed from his tour.
“What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate,” he said at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night. He also condemned the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel and said the injustice unfolding in the West Bank could not be overlooked.
The speech marked a change from Sheeran’s response earlier in the week, when he said he wanted his concerts to offer an escape from political arguments. Macklemore had been dropped from the remaining dates of the Loop Tour after calling for a free Palestine during two opening performances in New Jersey.
‘I am making mistakes’
“This is a humanitarian issue. I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” Sheeran told the Philadelphia audience. He said he was heartbroken by the deaths of civilians and children in Gaza.
His voice faltered as he addressed the dispute. “I am making mistakes. I’m so, so sorry,” he said. Sheeran did not say which decisions he considered mistakes, but told fans that he had been unsure whether the tour would continue and whether he wanted to return to the stage at all.
He also raised a concern about the pressure that led to Macklemore’s removal: whether venue operators could vet what musicians say during a performance. Sheeran said he was “deeply worried” by the prospect. He has maintained that the tour promoter made the decision to drop Macklemore after venues objected, and that he tried to find a way to keep the rapper on the bill.
Sheeran went ahead with Saturday’s show because he had made a commitment to ticket holders, he said. With the opening acts gone, its advertised start time moved from 5.30pm to 8pm. The concert took place as pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the stadium.
How the tour reached this point
Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium on 4 and 5 September. He spoke about Palestinians, called for a free Palestine and performed Hind’s Hall, his song supporting student protesters. He has said that stadium owners objected to his performances and that Robert Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, told Sheeran the rapper could not appear there. Kraft has confirmed that he would not allow Macklemore to perform at Gillette Stadium. Our earlier report sets out Macklemore’s account and the responses from Sheeran and Kraft.
Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham withdrew from upcoming US opening slots. Irish group Beoga left its role in Sheeran’s touring band. Finneas withdrew from six South American dates scheduled for November; he was not booked to open Saturday’s Philadelphia show.
Rowe has since urged people to direct more of their anger towards Kraft. He said Macklemore should not have been removed, but believed Sheeran’s team had rushed its decision under pressure. Paloma Faith has also questioned Sheeran’s earlier position on keeping politics away from concerts, pointing to his participation in a fundraiser for Ukraine.
The argument has prompted substantial aid pledges. Macklemore says he will give his $1 million in net earnings from the Sheeran tour to organisations supporting Palestinians. He publicly challenged Kraft to match it. Kraft subsequently said that Sheeran had already asked him to commit $2 million to humanitarian aid in the region, matching a $2 million pledge from Sheeran. Kraft did not specify which organisations would receive their money.
One response to “Tearful Ed Sheeran says he has made mistakes over Macklemore tour fallout”
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Committing to $2 million aids in the region? What does ” the region ” mean…. So many words carefully crafted, like a politician’s speech but ultimately nothing has changed. He is still continuing despite his good friend being kicked off the tour, he says he’s made mistakes, but doesn’t identify any, he says he’s protecting children from political speech but what about Miss Rachel? Children are at the heart of her work and THAT’S why she speaks out.
……Nope Ed, as a fan of yours, for many years, I’ve lost respect for you. Your choice to sit on the fence, will never be forgotten.
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