{"id":402720,"date":"2026-09-17T18:08:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T18:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/402720\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T18:08:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T18:08:31","slug":"free-palestine-openers-and-backing-band-drop-out-of-ed-sheerans-tampa-show-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/402720\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Free Palestine\u2019: Openers and backing band drop out of Ed Sheeran\u2019s Tampa show"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Credit: Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Ed Sheeran<\/a>\u2018s guitar looper could get a major workout this fall when the pop star closes his North American tour in Tampa.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the remaining supporting acts \u2014 and backing band \u2014 on Sheeran\u2019s \u201cLoop\u201d tour dropped out, following\u00a0the ouster of touring opener Macklemore<\/a>, who uttered the phrase \u201cFree Palestine\u201d from the stage this month during shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.<\/p>\n

Irish songwriter Aaron Rowe, who was supposed to play Tampa,\u00a0dropped off the tour Tuesday in solidarity<\/a>, adding that while Sheeran is his friend for life, Irish people \u201cknow all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children,\u201d Rowe added. \u201cI would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal. I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old closed his statement with two words: \u201cFree Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Irish folk band Beoga, which was backing Sheeran on the tour,\u00a0also dropped off the bill Tuesday<\/a>, thanking Sheeran for 10 years of friendship, while standing against \u201cthe silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Danish songwriter Lukas Graham, another Sheeran opener scheduled for the Tampa show,\u00a0also dropped off the tour Tuesday<\/a>\u00a0saying artists should \u201cbe able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macklemore was scheduled to open the remaining dates on the North American leg of Sheeran\u2019s tour, which includes a Tampa concert on Nov. 7, the North American tour finale. But tour promoter Messina Group dropped him, saying stadium operators \u2014 including those at the publicly-funded Raymond James Stadium \u2014 wouldn\u2019t allow the Seattle-rapper to play.<\/p>\n

Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, reportedly\u00a0led the charge to have Macklemore banned from Gillette Stadium<\/a>\u00a0where Sheeran\u2019s tour is scheduled for two shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cResearch shows how much Robert Kraft has done to fight the BDS movement,\u201d Bodega wrote, referencing the global \u201cBoycott, Divestment, and Sanctions\u201d effort to put economic and political pressure on the Israeli government.<\/p>\n

Sheeran also performed at Kraft\u2019s 2022 wedding.<\/a><\/p>\n

In a statement about the Macklemore debacle, Sheeran referenced talking to Kraft about the rapper, and added that, \u201cMacklemore coming off tour was the promoter\u2019s decision, it was not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheeran also defended his choice to remain politically neutral, saying that not speaking publicly about the \u201cdevastating conflict\u201d doesn\u2019t mean he doesn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n

\u201cI choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary,\u201d Sheeran added, \u201cto maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

One organization organizing the BDS campaign has called on Sheeran to cancel his tour completely.<\/p>\n

\u201cEd Sheeran\u2019s misleading statement attempts to \u2018both-sides\u2019 Israel\u2019s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and claims to support \u201cpeace\u201d yet fails to even mention its crucial condition \u2014justice,\u201d The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), wrote.<\/p>\n

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, had been using his protest song \u201cHind\u2019s Hall\u201d to show concertgoers images of the total devastation of Gaza, where the Israeli government\u2019s response to an\u00a0Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack<\/a>\u00a0has killed nearly 75,000 people, according to the\u00a0BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Billie Eilish\u2019s brother Finneas, who was supposed to play South America with Sheeran,\u00a0dropped off the tour, too<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Bobby Silvest, Tampa Sports Authority Vice President of Marketing and Communications, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in an email that Macklemore is no longer on the roster for the upcoming show. \u201cWe can confirm Macklemore will not be performing at the upcoming show.\u00a0 Apart from this lineup change, the concert will go forward as planned,\u201d said Silvest.<\/p>\n

Tickets to see Ed Sheeran play Tampa\u2019s Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7 are still available and start at $83.40.<\/a><\/p>\n

This story first appeared in Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Stay<\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Macklemore\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tMacklemore made a series of statements at recent shows in support of Palestinians and called for a \u201cfree Palestine\u201d\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\t