Four musical acts withdrew from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour on September 15 in solidarity with Macklemore after his removal over pro-Palestinian stage remarks. Reuters and AP reported that Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Lukas Graham and Finneas announced their departures on Instagram, affecting performances planned in North and South America.
Sheeran said the promoter made the decision and that venues had threatened to cancel concerts if Macklemore remained. Reuters reported that US promoter Messina Touring Group told Rolling Stone venue owners would not accept that lineup. The dispute followed Macklemore’s comments at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium earlier this month.
The departing musicians framed their decisions around freedom of expression and support for Palestinians. According to The FADER, Finneas opposed silencing artists who defend oppressed people, while Beoga said it would not play venues that suppress such advocacy. Lukas Graham argued that wealth should not determine who can speak.
The withdrawals affect different parts of the show. AP reported that Rowe and Lukas Graham were to replace Macklemore on remaining US dates, while Irish folk band Beoga played several songs with Sheeran during his sets. Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and collaborator, was due to join the South American leg later this year.
The dispute also brought competing accounts of the remarks. ITV reported that Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft linked Macklemore’s exclusion to comments and past imagery he considered antisemitic. Reuters reported that Macklemore denied his concert comments were antisemitic and distinguished criticism of Israel from hostility toward Jewish people.
Sheeran said he respected Macklemore’s convictions but avoided using his professional platform for politics, Reuters reported. He told fans he would not abandon them or the touring crew, according to ITV. The official tour schedule lists the next concert for September 19 in Philadelphia, putting the lineup changes just days before its resumption.
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