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Ed Sheeran support acts quit Loop tour after Macklemore dropped

musicSep 16, 20261526,096

Four opening acts and Ed Sheeran’s backing band withdrew from his Loop tour after organizers removed Macklemore for onstage pro-Palestinian comments. Macklemore said “free Palestine” and referenced Gaza and “the occupied West Bank” in a two-minute speech on 4 September at MetLife Stadium, prompting venue-owner pushback including from Robert Kraft and a petition from the Israeli American Council. Finneas, who was scheduled to open six South American dates in November, said “Artists must not be silenced” and announced his withdrawal. Irish singer Aaron Rowe, booked for 10 remaining North American dates, said he could not “stand by” while billionaires used power to silence those speaking about alleged atrocities. Beoga, Sheeran’s longtime backing band, cited the “silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies” when they quit, and Lukas Graham’s lead singer Lukas Forchhammer said money should not decide who gets to speak about civilians killed in war. Sheeran had said venue owners refused to host shows if Macklemore stayed, leaving the tour suddenly without its scheduled openers and backing band and putting upcoming dates’ viability at risk.

MeidasTouch
@meidastouch.com

NEWS: Robert Kraft says he will commit $2 million to humanitarian aid in the Middle East after Ed Sheeran offered $2 million of his own, following the fallout from Macklemore’s removal from Sheeran’s tour. Kraft did not specify where the money will go or which organizations will receive it.

45923d ago
Sean O’Kane
@okane.fyi

WSJ goes triple-byline on the 40-minute (!) phone call Robert Kraft made to Ed Sheeran that started this whole mess www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

6123d ago
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