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Updated September 20, 2026 \u2014 2:03pm,first published 11:27am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Ed Sheeran has opened his latest concert solo, admitting that he made mistakes and addressing the furore caused after his US opener, Macklemore, was dropped for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.<\/p>\n \u201cI never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about free speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,\u201d he said. \u201cMy concerts have always been a safe space for everyone and that matters hugely to me.\u201d<\/p>\n US rapper Macklemore was removed as the support act<\/a> for Sheeran\u2019s Loop tour last Monday (AEST) after complaints from the owners of several stadiums where he was scheduled to perform.<\/p>\n They reportedly took issue with the artist\u2019s \u201cFree Palestine\u201d comments, which he made during a performance at New Jersey\u2019s MetLife Stadium earlier this month. Following his removal, all four supporting acts and Sheeran\u2019s touring band<\/a> pulled out of the Loop tour, as a demonstration of support for Macklemore and Palestine.<\/p>\n Sheeran resumed his tour on Sunday (AEST) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, marking his first time on stage since the supporting act exodus. He confirmed he was returning to the stage on his own.<\/p>\n As of Sunday morning, tickets were still available to purchase online and Sheeran\u2019s website did not list any replacement acts.<\/p>\n According to the BBC, ticket prices for the concert dropped to as low as $US32 ($45) following the controversy, and sales declined for the remaining US leg. This is in stark contrast to his previous tour, which became one of the highest-grossing of all time.<\/p>\n At the beginning of the Philadelphia show, Sheeran expressed his commitment to the fans, explaining that was why he returned to the stage. He said he had \u201cmade mistakes\u201d while making \u201cdifficult decisions\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d he said. \u201cI am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content of the performers. This happens in so many places that I\u2019ve performed in around the world, but it should never happen in a free world.\u201d<\/p>\n He also addressed his stance on the war in Israel and Palestine, noting that he has avoided being a political commentator of any kind throughout his career because he wants his music and shows to \u201cbe about unity, not division; about humanity, not politics\u201d. However, he said he could no longer hide his feelings.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened in Israel at Nova music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic, and unjustifiable, and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians\u2019 lives, of children\u2019s lives, and the systemic injustice we\u2019re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheeran addressed the crowd once again<\/a> about midway through the show to explain that he decided to remove his \u201cB stage\u201d \u2013 a smaller additional stage positioned in the centre of the audience used at earlier Loop tour gigs \u2013 due to fears around his safety.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know what this audience would be like tonight. I didn\u2019t know if I would have things thrown at me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A group of about 50 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the stadium ahead of the Philadelphia show. Hillary Steinberg, a 34-year-old Philadelphia local, said she bought tickets a year ago but wound up getting a refund and attending the demonstration instead, disappointed by Sheeran\u2019s apolitical stance.<\/p>\n \u201cI was, until this week, a big Ed Sheeran fan,\u201d Steinberg said. \u201cI think all art is political, and all music is political, and so this choice \u2013 even though he was saying that he wasn\u2019t complicit \u2013 is a political choice.\u201d<\/p>\n The concert was originally supposed to begin with opening acts at 5.30pm (US time), but this was pushed back to 8pm following the supporting acts\u2019 exit. Footage by fans<\/a> inside the venue reportedly shows patches of empty seats shortly before start time.<\/p>\n Notably, The Shape of You singer performs the majority of his Loop tour gigs solo using a loop pedal. However, the Irish folk band Beoga previously joined him on stage for tracks like Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan. Macklemore, Sheeran\u2019s original US opener, was replaced by Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe before they backed out.<\/p>\n Related Article Before launching into the portion of the show in which Beoga would usually feature, Sheeran told the Philadelphia crowd that he wondered how he was \u201cgoing to get musicians to stand on stage with [him] in a week when no one wants to stand on stage with [him]\u201c. He then welcomed touring violinist Alicia Enstrom and four other musicians onto the stage to perform Galway Girl.<\/p>\n \u201cI rang up a friend of mine who is superb \u2026 and I said to her: \u2018Would you stand on stage with me?\u2019 And she said yes. I asked her if she knew some musician friends, and she said yes,\u201d Sheeran said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey said yes to being on stage with the knowledge that the world thought I was a certain type of person. They said yes with the knowledge that the world may hate them too for standing on stage with me, and I am so grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheeran claimed it wasn\u2019t his choice to axe Macklemore from the tour and said it was the tour promoter\u2019s decision. In a statement shared on Instagram<\/a> on Wednesday (AEST), the Grammy winner said he does not use his professional platform for politics, and that the fans who attend his shows \u201cdo not expect a political forum\u201d.<\/p>\n He also said he attempted to reason with venue owners to try to \u201cbuild a bridge\u201d before Macklemore was removed.<\/p>\n While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours, experts say an artist of Sheeran\u2019s magnitude generally has the final say about what happens concerning the shows.<\/p>\n Diane Savitz, a 53-year-old concertgoer from Pennsylvania, got her tickets to the show months ago and is a big Sheeran fan. She said she didn\u2019t think he did anything wrong, or that a concert is the place for politics.<\/p>\n \u201cA concert should be for people enjoying the music. Music should bring people together,\u201d Savitz said. \u201cEveryone has their right to freedom of speech, but not every platform is the place for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article Near the end of the concert, Sheeran apologised to the crowd<\/a>, particularly the families with young children, for the political statements he made a few hours prior.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one thing that I would like to apologise for is the first bit of the show where it wasn\u2019t about music, and I had to talk. I understand that people have children here, and I understand that families didn\u2019t buy a ticket to hear that first bit of the show,\u201d Sheeran said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut that was something I felt like I needed to say \u2026 my shows are about this \u2013 they\u2019re about unity, they\u2019re about love, they\u2019re about family. They\u2019re about people coming together who don\u2019t know each other, who have different beliefs, and jumping around like maniacs with each other and having fun. I will never stop doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Macklemore revealed that he would donate $US1 million to support Palestinian relief efforts and encouraged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match it. Kraft, who also owns Gillette Stadium, was among the most vocal critics of Macklemore and led the push to remove him from Sheeran\u2019s tour.<\/p>\n Sheeran is scheduled to perform at Kraft\u2019s Massachusetts stadium on September 25 and 26.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Kraft has said the stadium owner and Sheeran have each agreed to donate $US2 million; however, it remains uncertain where the money will be directed.<\/p>\n with AP<\/p>\n The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/83c445d4bc98172186fe30e89f72dfbb361189df739d42fa65b3c04a4cf5dd42.png\")
An emotional Ed Sheeran addresses the crowd in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n![\"Pro-Palestinian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/13be378088993f0342e98cf0635eeb01cb37755d.jpeg\")
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather outside Ed Sheeran\u2019s first concert since Macklemore was dropped from the Loop tour.AP Photo\/Allie Ippolito<\/p>\n![\"Macklemore](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789881736_369_f796026ff1cc028b102be0264959ca2822d074708c556e488f6e86ab79bde1d8.jpeg\")
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Ed Sheeran (left) claims it was not his decision to drop Macklemore (right) from the Loop tour.Getty<\/p>\n![\"Macklemore](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789881737_794_080587e4428695b768764626a7c414f01a0ec1ac7ef2916f918ebc3c45ff327f.jpeg\")
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Nell Geraets<\/a> is a Culture reporter at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners