Ed Sheeran Adjusts Philadelphia Concert Start Time Amidst Opener Drama
The singer will now take the stage later after his original opening acts withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore, who was removed from the tour.
Ed Sheeran has altered the start time for his upcoming concert in Philadelphia, moving the show's kickoff to 8 p.m. The adjustment follows the withdrawal of all his scheduled opening acts, who resigned in solidarity with rapper Macklemore after his removal from Sheeran's "Loop Tour."
Macklemore was dropped from the tour after delivering a "Free Palestine" speech and performing his song "Hind's Hall," which references a Palestinian child killed in Gaza. The original openers, Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga, announced their departure from the tour on Tuesday.
Finneas stated on Instagram that artists should not be silenced for speaking out against oppression and that he stands with Palestine. Macklemore, in his own statement, claimed Sheeran and his team made the decision to remove him from the tour, citing a disagreement over how he conveyed his message and a reported restriction from performing at Gillette Stadium due to comments from Robert Kraft, owner of the Kraft Group.
Sheeran, however, clarified on Instagram that Macklemore's removal was a decision made by the promoter, as Macklemore's contract was with the promoter, not directly with Sheeran. The singer explained that he attempted to mediate the situation but that the issue stemmed from the manner in which Macklemore delivered his message.
Sheeran's cousin, Jethro Sheeran, publicly criticized the singer, calling him "selfish" and "cunning" for allegedly perpetuating a "fake narrative" to maintain his career and brand deals. Some fans have also requested refunds for their tickets in light of Macklemore's removal from the tour.
The Philadelphia concert at Lincoln Financial Field was originally set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, with Sheeran scheduled to perform after his openers. The remaining North American tour dates are still slated to start at 5:30 p.m., and Sheeran has not yet announced any replacement opening acts.