Isaac Slade Replaces Macklemore as Ed Sheeran's Tour Opener Amid Controversy

Ed Sheeran enlisted Isaac Slade, the former frontman of The Fray, as a surprise guest opener for his Saturday concert in Atlanta. This appearance comes weeks after rapper Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's "Mathematics Tour" following an on-stage "Free Palestine" speech, which led to his original openers also quitting the tour.

Slade performed a set that included hits like "How to Save a Life" and "You Found Me" before Sheeran took the stage at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. "Everybody seems to be taking sides in this world and that’s good," Slade said, according to social media clips. "What’s happening over there [in Gaza] is wrong but if we’re going to get through it, we’re going to need people to step into that middle place, that common ground."

He continued, "That bonfire in the middle of the field that sees both sides, that understands that peace is not a lack of conflict. Peace is not a blank canvas that we need to guard and be polite. It holds enough beauty, enough tragedy, enough sorrow, enough joy and life if we learn how to integrate it and hold each other in balance. We will find a way through this together."

Mercedes-Benz Stadium had hinted at a special guest before Sheeran's performance in an Instagram post. Slade had previously joined Sheeran on stage during a Loop Tour concert in Toronto in August, with Sheeran citing The Fray as an influence on his early career.

Slade, who co-founded The Fray, departed the band in 2022 to focus on his mental health after experiencing panic attacks. He embarked on his first solo tour in December 2025.

Sheeran had been performing recent Loop Tour shows without a traditional opening act after Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and the band Beoga withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. The rapper had delivered a pro-Palestinian message at two shows in New Jersey last month, wearing a keffiyeh and performing his song "Hind's Hall."

Following Macklemore's remarks, tour partners announced his removal from the tour, reportedly after Jewish NFL owner Robert Kraft and venue operators threatened to cancel upcoming shows. Sheeran's planned shows at Gillette Stadium were subsequently canceled due to weather.

Addressing the situation during a Sept. 19 concert in Philadelphia, Sheeran expressed remorse for how the controversy unfolded. "This has put me in the middle of an important, passionate argument about freedom of speech on the most complex issue on the planet," he told fans. "My music has always been a safe space for everyone. That matters hugely to me."

The US leg of Sheeran's tour is set to conclude on November 7 at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, after which he will continue to Latin America before the tour's final show on December 11 in Mexico City.

In related news, country singer Zach Bryan recently wore a "Free Palestine" shirt during a concert at Gillette Stadium, with several members of his band also displaying pro-Palestinian attire.