Rome, 19 Sept. (LaPresse/AP) – Ed Sheeran is preparing to resume his tour on Saturday, likely on his own, after all the support acts pulled out in solidarity with the opening act Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour after making pro-Palestine comments on stage. It remains to be seen how Sheeran will handle the performance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, given the departure of the opening acts and the backing band. Sheeran has performed most of the concerts on his Loop Tour solo, but at each stop he had been joined for a few songs by the Irish folk band Beoga. Macklemore, initially chosen as Sheeran’s opening act in the United States, had been replaced by the Danish band Lukas Graham and the Irish singer Aaron Rowe, before they too pulled out. Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, was due to accompany Sheeran on his South American tour later this year, but he too pulled out earlier this week. Sheeran has made no public statements since losing the support of these artists. On Friday, tickets were still available for Saturday’s concert and no replacement artists were listed on his website. A coalition of pro-Palestinian organisations has announced a protest outside the venue on Saturday afternoon. The concert comes at the end of a turbulent week, which began with Macklemore’s exclusion after he shouted “Free Palestine” during a concert on 5 September in New Jersey. Sheeran stated that he was not responsible for the decision, which was made at the urging of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. His company owns a stadium where a concert on Sheeran’s tour was scheduled for Friday.
Music: Pro-Palestine protest and artists pulling out; Ed Sheeran set to resume tour
Rome, 19 Sept. (LaPresse/AP) – Ed Sheeran is preparing to resume his tour on Saturday, likely on his own, after all the support acts pulled out in solidarity with the opening act Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour after making pro-Palestine comments on stage. It remains to be seen how Sheeran will handle the performance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, given the departure of the opening acts and the backing band. Sheeran has performed most of the concerts on his Loop Tour solo, but at each stop he had been joined for a few songs by the Irish folk band Beoga. Macklemore, initially chosen as Sheeran’s opening act in the United States, had been replaced by the Danish band Lukas Graham and the Irish singer Aaron Rowe, before they too pulled out. Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, was due to accompany Sheeran on his South American tour later this year, but he too pulled out earlier this week. Sheeran has made no public statements since losing the support of these artists. On Friday, tickets were still available for Saturday’s concert and no replacement artists were listed on his website. A coalition of pro-Palestinian organisations has announced a protest outside the venue on Saturday afternoon. The concert comes at the end of a turbulent week, which began with Macklemore’s exclusion after he shouted “Free Palestine” during a concert on 5 September in New Jersey. Sheeran stated that he was not responsible for the decision, which was made at the urging of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. His company owns a stadium where a concert on Sheeran’s tour was scheduled for Friday.