English chart-topping singer-songwriter Sheeran started the Loop Tour in support of his 2025 UK Number One Album ‘Play’ this January, visiting New Zealand, Australia and Latin America in the first half of the year. The North American leg kicked off in June, with British star Myles Smith acting as lead support act for the majority of dates until the last August show in Detroit, Michigan.

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Macklemore was scheduled to be main support for the second stretch, with September’s shows starting with two nights at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium, followed by one at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and two at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. During both shows at the MetLife Stadium on September 4 and 5, he opened his pro-Palestine protest song ‘Hind’s Hall’ with a passionate speech addressing the worsening situations in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In the break from the music, he said he wanted the people of Palestine to know “they have not been forgotten”, and spoke of other global issues, adding “I say Free Palestine, free Cuba, Congo, Sudan and Iran and all the people of America who live in fear because of this terrorist organisation ICE.” In the conflict following on from the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack in 2023, it has been concluded that Israel are committing genocide in Palestine by both the United Nations and Amnesty International, and the British Government have placed sanctions on illegal Israeli West Bank settlements in recent weeks. The Israeli government denies all allegations regarding genocide and war crimes.

Macklemore’s actions were met with outrage by Israeli and Jewish groups including the Israeli American Council, which started a petition to Sheeran and his management team to drop the rapper from the remaining tour dates. Singer Pink (stylised P!NK) shared a post by page StopAntisemitism calling for Macklemore’s removal, before writing her own feelings about the effect of the incident on Jewish-Americans in an Instagram update. Her comment says in-part “You don’t have to agree with one thing Israel’s government does to not want the Jewish family two rows down from you to be scared or targeted at a concert.”    

 

 

 

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This evening, Macklemore announced on social media that he had been removed from all future dates of the Loop Tour, citing that the decision was made by “Ed Sheeran and his team”. In the post, he alleges that in conversation with Sheeran he found out that Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the Gillette Stadium – which was set to host the next two dates of the tour, would block the events if Macklemore was performing. In his own words, “Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.” Macklemore clarifies in the piece that there is no ill-feeling with Ed Sheeran, and cements his philosophy that the two shows he played were worth it to send his message: “Free Palestine.”

Many figures in music have backed Macklemore’s resolve throughout, including Garbage singer Shirley Manson, who described his dismissal in an Instagram post as “madness. Sheer madness.” and Foo Fighter’s guitarist Chris Shiflett, who in conversation on the matter on X with blues artist Joe Bonamassa wrote “maybe speaking out against genocide trumps etiquette.” Elsewhere, Macklemore’s Instagram comments have seen replies from stars including UK rock group Bob Vylan frontman Bobby Vylan, who quoted the line “There is no thanks for a duty”. Bobby Vylan was at the centre of a year-long investigation by the Met Police, following his pro-Palestine speech and chants of “death to the IDF” during the band’s 2025 Glastonbury appearance – the Met Police announced in August that they will be taking no further action.

Messina Touring Group, who are the promoter for the US Loop Tour dates, told Rolling Stone that they had been informed by the venues that shows would not go ahead with Macklemore on the bill, and confirmed that the tour will continue without him. Variety have since published a statement by Robert Kraft explaining his reasoning for axing Macklemore, which says “Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech.”

For Ed Sheeran, the show must go on. His remaining shows for September are at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on the 19th, and the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA on the 25th and 26th.

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His wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, has since posted a heartfelt statement on Instagram, writing, “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it. Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese. I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures. There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world. Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music. You will live in my heart forever. Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much. You meant the world to me.”

An ever-charismatic and endearing figure, MacGowan and his renowned snarl came to represent many things during his 65 years on Earth; the nonchalant fusion of punk and poetry, Irish nationalism and pride, and, to a great many, Christmas music. “Fairytale Of New York“, indeed, remains a true December classic; will we see it take number one spot this Christmas? Above all though, MacGowan always remained true to himself, his culture, heritage and nation, and his nonconforming spirit.

Listen to “Fairytale Of New York” below:

Born in Kent to Irish immigrant parents in 1957 and growing up in various cities in the Southeast of England, MacGowan’s punk nature was evident from the start. He was allegedly expelled from secondary school for possession of narcotics and soon became enamoured with the early punk scene, experiencing his first bout of fame as he was pictured in a newspaper after being injured at a Clash gig. So inspired was MacGowan by the Pistols and the Clash he decided to join Shanne Bradley’s punk band, the Nipple Erectors.

Come 1982 and he had formed his own band, initially named Pogue Mahone (an anglicisation of the Irish phrase póg mo thóin, meaning ‘kiss my arse’). Shortened later to the Pogues, MacGowan employed his Irish identity to explore in his lyrics Irish nationalism, Irish history and the Irish diaspora in England. The Pogues’ first album, Red Roses for Me, came in 1984, followed by Rum, Sodomy & the Lash in 1985 and their most commercially successful record If I Should Fall from Grace with God in 1988.

Listen to “Dirty Old Town” below:

Notable singles from his time with the Pogues include covers of traditional Irish folk songs “Dirty Old Town” and “Irish Rover“, along with “Fairytale of New York” featuring Kirsty MacColl and “Dark Streets of London“. After leaving the band in 1991 he formed another group, Shane MacGowan and the Popes, releasing two full length LPs before re-joining the Pogues in 2001.

Listen to “Irish Rover” below: