Four Opening Acts Abandon Ed Sheeran Tour Following Macklemore Removal
Ed Sheeran‘s Loop Tour lost all four remaining opening acts after the artists simultaneously withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore following his removal over onstage pro-Palestinian remarks. Concertgoers for upcoming stadium dates face an entirely overhauled performance roster after Irish singer Aaron Rowe, traditional group Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and producer-musician Finneas announced their immediate exits on Instagram.
Roster Collapse Leaves Stadium Dates Without Scheduled Opening Acts
The departures leave the tour without its planned opening performers as the U.S. leg prepares to resume in Philadelphia before heading to Foxborough, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham had been slotted to fill Macklemore‘s opening set for the remaining American shows, while Beoga was scheduled to join Sheeran mid-set for songs the group co-wrote, and Finneas was booked for the tour’s upcoming South American leg later this year.
The initial rift began after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian statements onstage at MetLife Stadium on September 5 while introducing his track “Hind’s Hall.” According to Macklemore, multiple venues threatened to block his performances, led by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company operates Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Sheeran publicly clarified that venue operators and tour promoters made the final call to remove Macklemore, though Sheeran stated he had pushed back against the decision.
