Music Industry: Macklemore Launches Independent Tour After Ed Sheeran Split

Macklemore kicked off his Free Palestine Tour on Monday night at Dublin’s 3Arena. The sold-out benefit concert featured a lineup that included Hozier, Kneecap, DJ Habibeats, Lina Makoul, and M1 of Dead Prez. Boega, the backing band that departed Ed Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore, also performed. Organizers had kept the lineup secret until the event began.

The tour began a few weeks after a dispute with Sheeran’s promoter. Last month, Messina Touring Group removed Macklemore from the remaining support dates of the Loop Tour. The promoter stated that venues for upcoming U.S. dates had notified them they would not host a concert with Macklemore on the bill. The group claimed this decision threatened the cancellation of the entire tour and would impact hundreds of thousands of fans. The promoter’s statement confirmed that after discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates.

Sheeran addressed the situation during a recent show. He stated that he never intended to be an activist musician but felt forced into a passionate debate over free speech. He described his concerts as a safe space for all attendees and maintained that continuing the tour without his opening act was essential to honoring his commitment to fans. Sheeran expressed deep concern about venues pre-approving performance content, a practice he said should never occur in a free world.

Macklemore announced his independent tour on Instagram, noting a shift in the cultural climate over the past three years. He referenced a collective awakening regarding Palestinian liberation and argued that remaining apolitical during a genocide no longer works. He said audiences are now asking artists to use stages for more than entertainment and to push back when silence meets calls for a free Palestine.

Special guests at the Dublin show included Irish actor Liam Cunningham, activist and psychotherapist Nadia Greenspan, and artist Samir Eskanda. Cunningham spoke onstage about the purpose of the event. According to published reports, he said enjoying the night does not mean forgetting the suffering in Gaza. He added that the performance means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought to protect.

All proceeds from the three-city series will go to organizations supporting Palestine and the Palestinian movement. A press release described the groups as covering a wide range of work. These include providing medical supplies, food, and humanitarian assistance. Other efforts involve advancing education, community support, advocacy, and policy change in countries described as complicit. The series centers on Palestinian families, children, healthcare workers, students, and artists affected by what the release called the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The Dublin show was the first of three dates. The tour moves to Paris’ Accor Arena on Oct. 29. It concludes at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Oct. 30.