PHILADELPHIA — Ed Sheeran is expected to resume his Loop Tour Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field after several supporting acts withdrew following the removal of rapper Macklemore from the tour over his pro-Palestinian remarks.
Sheeran could perform without opening acts or some of the musicians who previously joined him during the tour. His website had not listed replacement performers as of Friday, while tickets remained available for Saturday’s show.
Sheeran has performed many Loop Tour shows largely on his own, although Irish folk band Beoga had joined him for several songs at each stop.
Macklemore originally served as Sheeran’s U.S. opening act but left the tour after he shouted “Free Palestine” during a Sept. 5 concert in New Jersey.
Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe later replaced Macklemore on the tour but withdrew after Sheeran addressed Macklemore’s removal Tuesday.
Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, also withdrew from Sheeran’s South American tour dates later this year.
Sheeran says he did not make the decision
Sheeran said he did not make the decision to remove Macklemore and attributed it to the tour promoter.
He said he had spent the week speaking with venues about the situation and trying to find a resolution.
Sheeran also said his fans attend his concerts for the music and that he did not want to turn his shows into discussions about the war in Gaza.
Macklemore said Wednesday that he would donate $1 million to Palestinian relief efforts and challenged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match the donation.
A spokesperson for Kraft said Kraft and Sheeran had each agreed to donate $2 million, although neither has specified where the money would go. Sheeran’s representatives have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Protest planned outside Philadelphia show
A coalition of pro-Palestinian organizations plans to protest outside Saturday’s concert.
The controversy began after Macklemore’s remarks at his New Jersey performance. Sheeran’s decision to continue the tour without several supporting acts has since drawn further attention to the dispute over political expression at concerts and the role of artists in addressing the Gaza conflict.
Sheeran’s Loop Tour ranked as the world’s highest-grossing tour, averaging more than $7 million in box-office revenue per city, according to Pollstar’s May report.
