All three dates of Macklemore’s newly announced Free Palestine tour in Dublin, Paris, and London sold out immediately after going on sale, the rapper announced on Instagram. The European run, scheduled for late October, was organized to raise funds for organizations supporting Palestinians following the artist’s sudden removal from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour. The four-time Grammy winner said he was “honestly blown away” by the response, adding that the shows were put together quickly to demonstrate how musicians can use the stage for “collective action.”
Macklemore has not yet revealed the lineup of guest musicians joining him, though he stated on Wednesday that supporting acts are coming soon, according to CBC News. He noted that he reached out to artists who have stood in solidarity with Palestinians regardless of the consequences. Live Nation press materials confirm that all proceeds from the concerts will benefit organizations including Gaza Soup Kitchen, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace, and UNRWA USA.
Ed Sheeran Tour Controversy Leads to Independent Dates
The three-show European trek follows Macklemore’s dismissal from the U.S. leg of Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour. Messina Touring Group, the promoter for Sheeran’s American dates, stated to Rolling Stone that owners of several venues threatened to cancel Sheeran’s concerts if the rapper continued as an opening act.
Earlier this month, Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he told the crowd he wanted to say “Free Palestine” so people in the occupied West Bank and Gaza know they have not been forgotten. While the speech drew cheers, some audience members reportedly walked out. Sheeran subsequently identified one of those opposing venue owners as Robert Kraft, chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group, which owns Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, alongside several professional sports teams. Macklemore claimed Kraft personally called Sheeran to bar him from the venue.
Kraft confirmed his decision, stating it was based on Macklemore’s “recent actions,” stage material in New Jersey, and a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery” that he believes is hurtful to the Jewish community. Macklemore previously donated the $1 million he earned from his Loop Tour contract to Palestinian aid.
Venues, Dates, and Ticket Demand Contrasts
Macklemore’s self-promoted tour will open at Dublin’s 3 Arena on October 26, followed by Paris’s Accor Arena on October 29, and London’s Wembley Arena on October 30, as reported by The Independent. Tickets became available following registration on the rapper’s website, with presales beginning at 10 a.m. local time on Sept. 28. The rapper indicated that U.S. dates will be announced in the future.
While Macklemore’s fundraising concerts sold out instantly, ticket sales for Ed Sheeran’s remaining tour dates have faced contrasting market conditions. The Independent noted that resale prices for Sheeran’s concerts have dropped significantly on ticketing platforms, with single tickets for an October concert in Atlanta listed for $19.49 on Ticketmaster, while all other supporting acts and Sheeran’s backing band withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
Financial Pledges and Artist Statements
Both Robert Kraft and Ed Sheeran have each pledged $2 million in donations toward the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. During his first show without opening acts at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, Sheeran told the audience he “never wanted to be an activist musician” but admitted he could no longer hide his feelings on the humanitarian issue. He noted that the events of Oct. 7 at the Nova Music Festival and in Israel were “horrific” and “compounded centuries of Jewish pain.”
Palestinian aid organizations receive tour proceeds
Which Palestinian aid organizations will receive proceeds from the tour?
According to Live Nation press materials, proceeds will benefit the Gaza Soup Kitchen, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace, and UNRWA USA.
What specific venues are hosting the Free Palestine tour?
The concerts are scheduled for Dublin’s 3 Arena on October 26, Paris’s Accor Arena on October 29, and London’s Wembley Arena on October 30.
Why was Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour?
The promoter for the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s tour stated that venue owners threatened to cancel shows over Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian remarks and demonstrations during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
What did Ed Sheeran say regarding the controversy?
During his first show without opening acts at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on September 19, Sheeran told the audience that what is happening in Gaza is catastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate.
How does Macklemore view the censorship of his performance?
Macklemore stated that “being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore” and argued that “when the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.”
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