Ed Sheeran’s concerts at Gillette Stadium canceled citing nor’easter
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —
Ed Sheeran’s Friday and Saturday night concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, are being canceled. The stadium cited the forecasted nor’easter as the reason for the decision.
“The decision was made with the safety of fans and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority,” the stadium wrote on social media.
Fans are being offered refunds through their point of purchase and Gillette Stadium said Ticketmaster purchases will be automatically refunded.
Sky5 flew over the stadium on Friday morning and saw crews working to disassemble Sheeran’s stage. At least nine tractor-trailers were parked inside the stadium for the equipment.
The cancelation is the latest stumble for Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
Previously, the start time for the shows was delayed after all of his opening acts pulled out of the tour.
Robert Kraft, CEO of the Kraft Group, which owns Gillette Stadium, had objected to rapper Macklemore’s participation in the tour. Kraft’s position came in response to Macklemore speaking out about Israel and Gaza.
The rapper was dropped from the tour, and other opening acts subsequently quit in solidarity with Macklemore.
Last week, Sheeran addressed the issues of the Gaza conflict and free speech during a show in Philadelphia, where pro-Palestine protesters had gathered outside the venue. He called the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel “horrific” and described what is happening in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable.”
Sheeran also shared his concerns about restrictions on performers’ speech at venues.
“I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content of performers,” Sheeran said. “This happens in so many places where I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”