Ed Sheeran Tour Fallout Grows as All Openers, Backing Band Drop Out

The fallout from Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour escalated dramatically Tuesday, with all of Sheeran’s scheduled opening acts withdrawing from upcoming dates and a band that performs as part of Sheeran’s own show also quitting the tour.

Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Finneas all announced they were withdrawing from scheduled support slots following Macklemore’s removal over his pro-Palestinian remarks. Irish band Beoga, which has been touring with Sheeran and performs a portion of his stadium show alongside him, separately announced it would no longer continue on the tour.

The departures came within hours of Sheeran publicly addressing the controversy for the first time, saying Macklemore’s removal was the promoter’s decision rather than his and defending his decision not to use his own professional platform for political advocacy.

The rapidly expanding wave of withdrawals leaves Sheeran without any of his previously scheduled opening acts and without Beoga just days before the U.S. stadium tour is scheduled to resume Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Rowe was the first to announce his withdrawal Tuesday, saying he could not continue “as normal” after Macklemore was removed. The emerging Irish singer-songwriter praised Sheeran personally and credited him with changing his life, but said remaining on the tour would conflict with his beliefs.

“I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children,” Rowe wrote.

Hours later, the other departures followed.

Finneas, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer who had been scheduled to join Sheeran for dates on the South American leg later this year, announced that he also would withdraw.

“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas wrote. “I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran.”

He concluded: “I stand with Palestine and its people.”

Danish band Lukas Graham subsequently announced its departure as well, describing the choice as “a difficult decision” while arguing that wealth should not determine who can participate in public debate.

“Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation,” the band wrote. “Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.”

Beoga’s departure potentially has an even more direct effect on Sheeran’s production. The Northern Irish group is not simply another opening act: it has been serving as Sheeran’s backing band for a multi-song portion of the Loop tour shows.

Beoga said performing before Sheeran’s stadium crowds had been “the stuff of dreams,” but added that playing venues that prevent artists from advocating for Palestinians was “simply not an option for us.” The group, which identifies itself as a founding member of Irish Artists for Palestine, also specifically criticized Kraft’s record opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

The four announcements transform what had begun as a dispute over one opening act into a much broader disruption of Sheeran’s tour – which now has lost all but its headlining performer within 36 hours.

Sheeran Says Removing Macklemore Was ‘Not Mine’ to Decide

Rowe’s withdrawal came after Sheeran posted a lengthy response to the controversy Tuesday morning, confirming that venues had threatened to pull upcoming shows if Macklemore remained on the bill.

Sheeran said he spent the past week speaking with venues in an attempt to reach a compromise, including direct discussions with Kraft. He said he also participated in talks with promoters and activists on both sides of the Israel-Palestine dispute, but was unable to reach an agreement that would keep Macklemore on the tour.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote.

Sheeran said Macklemore’s agreement for the tour was with Messina Touring Group rather than Sheeran personally, and said he was unwilling to cancel the remaining concerts because of the effect doing so would have on fans, touring employees and musicians.

“I would never let down the fans who had made plans,” Sheeran said, adding that touring crew members and support acts depend on the shows for their livelihoods.

The statement was overtaken by events within hours. Every scheduled opening act referenced in that rationale subsequently withdrew voluntarily, while Beoga announced it would no longer perform as part of Sheeran’s show.

In his statement, Sheeran also addressed Macklemore’s criticism of what the rapper had characterized as his longtime “apolitical stance.”

The singer said he has personal views about the war but deliberately avoids turning his concerts into political forums, particularly because his audiences include children and people from widely different backgrounds. Sheeran said he instead views his music and concerts as a place of “safety and sanctuary” intended to bring people together.

“I am not complicit,” Sheeran wrote, while saying that declining to discuss his personal political beliefs publicly should not be interpreted as indifference.

Sheeran also said he respects Macklemore’s willingness to publicly advocate for his beliefs, but argued that artists can pursue peace through different approaches.

Support Act Departures Amplify Backlash Over Sheeran’s Position

The announcements also intensified an already highly critical online response. Several of the largest Reddit discussions surrounding Sheeran’s statement and the subsequent withdrawals were dominated by criticism of his political-neutrality argument, with commenters questioning how much distance a headliner of Sheeran’s stature could place between himself and decisions affecting his tour.

Similar criticism appeared in Sheeran’s own fan communities, while large music and entertainment discussions focused heavily on his references to “both sides” and his argument that concerts should provide a politically neutral space for a diverse audience.

Social-media reaction is not a representative measure of Sheeran’s broader audience, and supportive reactions were also present. But the scale of engagement illustrates how quickly the dispute expanded beyond Macklemore’s original removal, particularly as additional artists began leaving the tour.

Macklemore Dispute Started With Venue Ultimatum

The developments come one day after news broke that Macklemore had been removed from the remaining Loop Tour dates following an unusual ultimatum from multiple stadium operators.

Messina Touring Group, Sheeran’s U.S. promoter, said multiple venues notified it that they would not allow concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the lineup, creating the possibility that entire stadium dates would have to be canceled.

Macklemore had drawn criticism from Jewish and pro-Israel organizations after using his opening sets at MetLife Stadium to call for a “Free Palestine,” criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza and perform his protest song “Hind’s Hall.”

Macklemore subsequently said Sheeran told him Kraft had objected to allowing him to perform at Gillette Stadium and had “rallied some of the other stadium owners” behind an ultimatum: remove Macklemore or lose access to their venues.

Kraft strongly disputed that account.

The Kraft Group acknowledged that Kraft personally contacted Sheeran and asked him to consider removing Macklemore from the Gillette shows. It also acknowledged that Kraft communicated with the owner and manager of another stadium about concerns surrounding Macklemore’s participation.

But Kraft denied threatening to cancel Sheeran’s Gillette concerts or organizing stadium operators into a coordinated effort to force Macklemore off the tour.

Sheeran’s Tuesday statement provides additional confirmation for some elements of the episode while leaving the coordination dispute unresolved. Sheeran confirmed that venues threatened his concerts if Macklemore remained on the bill and that he personally spoke with Kraft while attempting to negotiate a solution. He did not say whether Kraft had encouraged other stadium owners to take the same position.

Macklemore’s removal had initially left Lukas Graham and Rowe among the support acts scheduled for Sheeran’s remaining North American stadium shows. By Tuesday evening, both had withdrawn. Finneas had separately abandoned his scheduled South American appearances, while Beoga had left its role performing alongside Sheeran.

Official tour listings had not fully caught up with the rapidly changing lineup Tuesday afternoon, with Sheeran’s website continuing to display artists who had announced their departures.

The Loop Tour is still scheduled to resume Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Neither Sheeran nor Messina Touring Group had announced replacement opening acts or explained how Beoga’s departure would alter Sheeran’s own performance as of Tuesday evening.

What began with stadium operators refusing to allow one artist onto their stages has therefore expanded into a broader artist revolt around the tour itself — with every scheduled opener now choosing to leave rather than continue under the circumstances surrounding Macklemore’s removal.