Ed Sheeran’s U.S. stadium tour is facing a new drama after Macklemore was dropped as the opening act after delivering Free Palestine speeches. The move has since sparked calls from some fans for concert ticket refunds.
Ed Sheeran fans demand ticket refunds following Macklemore’s removal from his stadium tour
Macklemore recently opened for Ed Sheeran at his New Jersey stadium shows. During his performance at The Loop Tour, he sang Hind’s Hall as images from Gaza appeared on the screen behind him. He then told the crowd, “I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine.” The Grammy winner also said he wanted people in Gaza to know that they had not been forgotten, reports Billboard.
In a lengthy Instagram post on September 14, Macklemore claimed that Sheeran told him billionaire Robert Kraft had contacted him about his upcoming performance at Gillette Stadium. According to Macklemore, Kraft said he would “not be allowed” to perform there later this month. Macklemore further claimed that Sheeran said the words “Free Palestine” and the Palestinian flag image “were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with.”
Fans were quick to respond, with many calling for ticket refunds. One of them wrote, “Fame that comes with fear to speak up is a prison. Money that buys your complicity is worthless. Be free, my brother; dignity and values are priceless.” A fan tweeted, Hey @Ticketmaster, so @edsheeran is no longer having @macklemore on his tour. We purchased these tickets when @macklemore was on the setlist, and we would like to cancel our tickets for a full refund, please, and you can sell them to someone else! Thanks.”
Another account urged Sheeran’s ticket holders to skip the tour rather than request refunds. The person wrote, “Empty seats will impact his tour a lot more than resold tickets. It’ll affect merch sales and venue profits too. Keep the tickets, don’t attend.”
After Macklemore was dropped from the lineup, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe also announced his departure. Danish band Lukas Graham said they would no longer be part of the tour. Irish folk band Beoga also announced their exit.
The group had been performing alongside Sheeran on stage every night. The Loop Tour is Sheeran’s sixth concert tour. It began on January 16 in Auckland, New Zealand. The tour is scheduled to wrap up on December 12 in Mexico City, Mexico.
