Despite being one of the biggest artists in the world, Ed Sheeran had not yet faced a huge controversy before his "Loop Tour's" politically charged debacle. It started with Macklemore advocating for Palestine during performances at MetLife Stadium. Robert Kraft then threatened to ax their Gillette Stadium stops, the Massachusetts venue the New England Patriots owner also owns. Following the rapper's removal, an ironic twist of fate has now led the Gillette shows slated for tonight and tomorrow (Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26) to be canceled.
According to TMZ, sources with direct knowledge told the outlet inclement weather conditions led to the cancelation. Per Fox Weather, experts expect Foxborough, Massachusetts (where Gillette Stadium is located) to get one to two inches of rain and 40-mile-per-hour winds in the weekend. The announcement of the cancelation follows tour organizers' halting of stage construction yesterday (Thursday, September 24).
"Stadium and tour management, along with public safety officials, have been closely monitoring the weather forecast over the past week," a representative for Kraft reportedly told TMZ. "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. 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. Ticketholders who purchased through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded."
Macklemore's "Free Palestine" Tour
Robert Kraft matched a $2 million donation with Sheeran towards humanitarian aid concerning the Israel and Palestine conflict. He has not responded to allegations that he organized other stadium owners to follow suit and bar the tour from stopping there if Macklemore remained.
The superstar singer, on the other hand, addressed the controversy at a Philadelphia show. His other openers and his backing band exited the trek in solidarity with the rapper.
Meanwhile, Macklemore is embarking on a "Free Palestine" tour following this decision, with three European dates so far. All proceeds from the trek will go towards humanitarian efforts and other initiatives to support Palestine. He said cooperating artists and more tour dates, including in the United States, will be announced soon.
