Ed Sheeran Cancels Gillette Stadium Concerts Amidst Controversy and Weather Concerns
Concerts at Robert Kraft's stadium were called off due to severe weather, following a dispute over Macklemore's removal from the tour.
Ed Sheeran's scheduled concerts at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, have been canceled due to anticipated severe weather this weekend. The decision was made collaboratively by stadium and tour management, in consultation with public safety officials, who had been monitoring the forecast.
"The decision was made with the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority," Kraft stated. Ticketmaster will automatically refund ticketholders who purchased through their platform, with refunds also available at the point of purchase. "Refunds are available now at the point of purchase. Ticketholders who purchased through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded."
This cancellation occurs amidst a controversy surrounding Sheeran's decision to drop rapper Macklemore from his Loop Tour. Macklemore stated that his dismissal was due to pressure from Kraft following pro-Palestine comments made during Sheeran's shows in New Jersey earlier this month. In solidarity with Macklemore, several of Sheeran's opening acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and the backing band Beoga, announced they would be leaving the tour.
Sheeran addressed the controversy during a recent show in Philadelphia, stating, "I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet." Macklemore has since announced a series of "Free Palestine" tour dates beginning next month, with proceeds designated for organizations providing aid to Palestinian causes. He commented on Instagram, "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."
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office became involved after nearly 200 consumers reported difficulties obtaining refunds from Ticketmaster. The Attorney General announced that Ticketmaster agreed to honor refund requests for the Gillette Stadium shows due to significant lineup changes, encouraging ticketholders to submit their requests at least 24 hours before showtime.