Ed Sheeran’s Tour Trouble Continues With Double Cancellation

Ed Sheeran’s troubled Loop Tour has suffered another major setback, with both of his scheduled Gillette Stadium concerts canceled because of severe weather. The British singer was expected to perform at Robert Kraft’s Foxborough, Massachusetts, venue on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26. However, stadium and tour officials pulled the plug as dangerous conditions threatened the area. The cancellations arrive during an already turbulent stretch for Sheeran, who has faced intense backlash since Macklemore was dropped from the tour following his pro-Palestine remarks.

Ed Sheeran’s Gillette Stadium Concerts Are Canceled

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Gillette Stadium confirmed that Sheeran’s two performances would not move forward after officials monitored the weekend forecast. “Stadium and tour management, along with public safety officials, have been closely monitoring the weather forecast over the past week. Due to the severe weather forecast throughout the weekend, the tour has made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium,” Kraft told TMZ in a statement.

“The decision was made with the safety of fans, staff, and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority. Refunds are available now at the point of purchase,” Kraft added. “Ticket holders who purchased through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded.”

The concerts were part of the North American leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour. Although the cancellations come in the middle of the controversy surrounding the lineup, officials specifically attributed the decision to the severe weather forecast.

The Foxborough dates were set to bring Sheeran back to the first NFL stadium he ever headlined. He previously performed seven shows at Gillette Stadium between 2013 and 2023.

Ticketmaster Had Already Faced Pressure To Issue Refunds

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Some fans were attempting to obtain refunds before the weather cancellation was announced because Macklemore and the tour’s remaining opening acts were no longer scheduled to perform. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced Thursday that Ticketmaster had agreed to provide refunds after her office received nearly 200 complaints from consumers.

“After hearing from nearly 200 consumers who were struggling to obtain refunds from Ticketmaster for Ed Sheeran’s shows at Gillette Stadium this weekend,” Campbell said, “my office jumped into action to demand that consumers be provided a clear path to get their money back if they no longer want to attend due to significant changes to the lineup. I encourage anyone who wants a refund to act quickly and submit their request at least 24 hours before showtime.”

The attorney general’s involvement initially addressed the substantial lineup changes rather than the later weather cancellation. Ticketmaster subsequently committed to honoring qualifying requests submitted before the deadline, according to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

With both performances now canceled, ticket holders who purchased through Ticketmaster are expected to receive automatic refunds.

Macklemore Blamed Pressure From Robert Kraft

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The tour controversy began after Macklemore delivered pro-Palestine messaging while opening for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Macklemore subsequently claimed that he was removed from the tour after Kraft refused to allow him to perform at Gillette Stadium and encouraged other venue owners to take a similar position. Sheeran, however, maintained that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by tour promoter Messina Touring Group rather than by the singer himself.

The lineup unraveled quickly after Macklemore’s departure. Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe withdrew from their scheduled appearances, while Sheeran’s longtime backing band Beoga also stepped away in solidarity.

Macklemore later announced that he would donate the entire $1 million in net earnings he received from the Loop Tour to six organizations assisting Palestinians. He also publicly challenged Kraft to match the donation.

Kraft responded by claiming that Sheeran had already asked him to match a separate $2 million humanitarian donation. Both men reportedly committed $2 million to regional aid, although specific recipient organizations were not initially identified.

Ed Sheeran Addressed The Backlash Onstage

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Sheeran initially explained that he deliberately avoided turning his professional platform into a political forum. “Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way,” the singer wrote.

“There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics, my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes,” he continued.

“However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change,” the singer added. “There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.”

The explanation did little to quiet the criticism, and Sheeran revisited the controversy during his September 19 performance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. “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,” Sheeran said.

He later told the crowd that “this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore. What happened in Israel and at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate. Our hearts can be broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives, and the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

Sheeran also reiterated that Macklemore’s removal was a promoter-led decision and said he had attempted to mediate with the venues.

Macklemore Announces His Own “Free Palestine” Shows

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As Sheeran dealt with the fallout, Macklemore announced a series of “Free Palestine” concerts beginning in October. Proceeds from the newly announced performances will benefit organizations providing aid to Palestinians.

“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore wrote on Instagram. “There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now. 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.”