The fallout from the Ed Sheeran Loop tour continued on Saturday night when Ed Sheeran took to the stage in Philadelphia.
After all his support acts and his Irish backing band Beoga dropped out of the tour in solidarity with Macklemore’s removal from the tour, at the insistence of Zionist billionaire Robert Kraft, Ed Sheeran opened the show by addressing the events of the recent week.
Unfortunately, Sheeran couldn’t meet the moment. Macklemore had shown him the way to communicate and frame a statement without making it about himself last week. But Ed did none of that.
Macklemore said he and Ed are not victims in his opening remarks on Instagram after being removed from the tour, but Sheeran chose to centre his own thoughts and feelings and make vague statements about “making mistakes” and being sorry without specifying what mistake he had made or what he was sorry for.
Sheeran wishes he didn’t have to talk about this
In fact, the entire address was a missed opportunity that seemed to make things worse – couched in Ed Sheeran’s clear discomfort with wanting to address any of this, amplified by his use of a teleprompter. Unfortunately for him, he had to address it because he was brought into the conversation by Robert Kraft.
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By contrast, Kraft’s successful silencing of Macklemore’s free speech has resulted in Gorillaz, Jack Antonoff and Phoebe Bridgers all saying “Free Palestine” at shows in response in recent days.
Sheeran says he didn’t want to be an activist musician, and acknowledges that he was in a situation because his billionaire friend Robert Kraft, (whose wedding it transpired, Ed played at in 2022) in trying to suppress the free speech of Macklemore dragged him into it. Ed then didn’t ultimately show support for his support act, and sided with the powerful billionaire – prompting backlash.
Ed centres himself
Introducing the band who replaced Beoga on stage, Ed placed everything through the prism of his own experience and the criticism of his own actions lauding these other musicians including Alicia Enstrom who he described in brave terms for joining him, while refusing to even acknowledge the difficult and brave decisions of Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Finneas and Lukas Graham to cancel their involvement in Ed’s lucrative stadium tour.
“They said yes to being on stage with the knowledge that the world thought I was a certain type of person,” Sheeran said. “They said yes with the knowledge that the world may hate them too for standing onstage with me.”
In his opening remarks, Sheeran said he was deeply concerned about censorship of artists on stages around the world but when he was faced with this in his own professional life, he abandoned his friend and refused to meet the issue head on.
“But I am deeply worried about the idea of venues pre-approving content of performers. This happens in so many places I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”
The disappointment that many are feeling around Sheeran’s actions in the past week is because he does have the power to change that or at least challenge it, but he didn’t. So you can say all you like how you are worried but as the old adage goes – actions speak louder than words.
Ed doesn’t meet the humanity
Sheeran while saying he doesn’t want to be an activist, or political commentator then acknowledges what is happening in Palestine is a humanitarian issue, but again, refuses to meet that humanity.
When it came to addressing the genocide in Palestine by Israel, Ed put his head back in the sand where 2023’s level of discourse has been buried and again, refused to call what’s happening a genocide despite the evidence.
Spouting both-sides arguments, while dehumanising the Palestinian suffering with impersonal clinical words like “catastrophic”, “unjustifiable” and “disproportionate,” Sheeran puts equal weight on the tragedy of October 7th, By starting with it Sheeran ignores the oppression of the Palestinian people that dates back to 1948.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, approximately 134,000 Palestinians have been killed since the 1948 Nakba, an estimated 74,000 since October 7th.
As I said last week, it isn’t controversial to say there is a genocide happening and It’s widely understood, it’s not a conflict. Israel and the US reject that it’s a genocide but the weight of international human rights bodies says otherwise – the UN Commission says Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, The International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity and Amnesty International’s investigation concluded Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The understanding of what’s happening in Gaza has evolved but Ed’s understanding hasn’t
Look around the comments sections in the last few days and you’ll notice how many more people have educated themselves about the history of Israel and Palestine in the last three years. There is a stark and burgeoning understanding that what is happening in Gaza is not “the most complex political issue on the planet,” as Ed puts it. Those “it’s complicated” arguments worked on people in the aftermath of October 7th, but not anymore. People have read and learned but Ed Sheeran has not.
Calling what’s happening in the West Bank a “systemic injustice” attributes abstract blame without naming who is responsible. The Israeli settlers have for many years now, been purposefully and violently robbing Palestinians of their land and homes without consequence.
During his speech, Sheeran acknowledges he does not know enough, and that he is working with “people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times”, but in this current moment, he has completely missed the mark.
“Get in there and make it about you”
Sheeran was visibly emotional and teary-eyed throughout his opening remarks but not for reasons of free speech or people who are being killed, but because of his own experiences of the last week.
Sheeran removed the B-stage from the tour production on Saturday saying he was afraid of what would happen. “I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me I didn’t know if people would be angry at me.”
“In these situations you really find out who your friends are”
It was a familiar pattern in his words. He made it about his feelings while speaking of unity, a value he absconded from when it came to the people who were on stage with him.
“In these situations you really find out who your friends are,” said Sheeran. Yes, the support acts certainly did when you didn’t show any solidarity with their predicament but at least you had 50,000 people to cheer you up as you say.
“I see 50,000 people who haven’t abandoned me,” he said. Because in Sheeran’s mind that’s what it’s about – how people view him because of this – not the issues at hand.
Sorry, not sorry
Sheeran then goes on to apologise for having to make the opening remarks at all – won’t someone think of the children? God forbid a child in the audience has a conversation that a parent might find difficult or necessary to navigate about how children are being killed in another part of the world. Miss Rachel would never right?.
Ultimately, Ed’s statements don’t explain or justify his worrying actions of not supporting his friend, his touring band and his support acts – they stood up when he didn’t.
His statements don’t justify the decisions he made regarding the pressure on free speech – other than saying isn’t it terrible? Sheeran went on to play the show and enlisted replacements for his backing band (no support band replacement played on Saturday) and it appears he intends to play the Kraft-owned Gillette stadium next weekend where his two concerts are due to take place.
It just highlights how all of this is such an inconvenient bother to Sheeran – he wishes he didn’t have to address how the world works and he could go back to his privileged position of singing ‘Shape Of You’ to people who won’t question his words or actions.
Ed doesn’t want to feel uncomfortable anymore.
Ed Sheeran’s opening remarks – Philadelphia concert – Saturday September 19th.
“This is not usually how I open a show, but before I play some songs tonight I hope it’s OK if I say a few words about this last week. I’m used to my music being criticised, and I’m always happy to take that because I’m lucky a lot of you like my stuff, and to be honest, I’m surprised. I’m not surprised that other people don’t. It’s normal.”
“But this week the criticism was about something much more important. And I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so sorry.
“I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet.
“My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.
“But I am deeply worried about the idea of venues pre-approving content of performers. This happens in so many places I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.
“Now, I want to address the question of where I stand in the situation in Israel and Palestine and whether my doing this concert here tonight implies where I stand. I’ve tried in my career not be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be about unity not division, about humanity not politics.“But this is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore. What happened in Israel 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.
“My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, of children’s lives and the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.
“I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough.
“I honestly am so grateful that you’re here tonight with me.
“This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome, and everyone here can stand beside people who have opposing views, and everyone here can stand by people that they don’t agree with on everything, but they can all agree I’m singing these songs.
“And these songs are about love, hope and unity.”
At the end of the show, Ed also made a statement apologising for having to make a statement:
“Last week I saw people I’ve known for years, friends abandoned me and today I saw 50.000 people who haven’t abandoned me“
— Ed Sheeran Access (@AccessEdSheeran) September 21, 2026
— Ed during his final speech last night in Philadelphia
Cr: bridgetgoes on TikTok pic.twitter.com/67UATXAvbk
“The last week of my life has been one of the worst weeks of my life. Today has been one of the weirdest days of my life. Tonight, has been honestly the best show of my life, the best show.
“I really didn’t know whether this tour would be carrying on, whether I’d be getting on stage again whether I was even going to be an artist at all.
“In these situations you really find out who your friends are. It’s been a weird week. It happened very quickly. The whole time, I had so many people telling me to cancel this tour and so many people I’ve known for years and years and years they’re kind of backing away.
“In the back of my mind, I saw the ticket sales for this gig and I didn’t see cancellations, I saw people buying tickets for this gig. Everyone’s telling me to cancel and I’m feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me.” I look at the end of the week and I see 50,000 people who haven’t abandoned me. People will say what they want, but I am doing this for you. I love you. I love this.
“I love the unity, I love the feeling that this concert brings. I love bringing people together of all races, all religions, all political ideas.
“A lot of people here have differing opinions, and we’ve had a great night. And you are standing next to people and dancing with people who you may disagree with. And you probably understand them better by being, you know, one and love. I have had so many opinions on this. But the root of it is love. And if this tour ends, love doesn’t win. Love doesn’t win. You know? I can’t let you guys down. That’s why I’m here tonight, on my own, for you guys.
“I know how much effort it takes for you guys to get here. It’s not just a ticket that you buy. It’s hotels, it’s flights, it’s buses, it’s babysitters, it’s restaurants that you’ve booked in town before you’ve come here, it’s people staying with you that you’re going to the gig with, it’s having your grandmother come to stay. It’s a hell of a lot of effort. There’s a hell of a lot of stories here, a hell of a lot of families, a hell of a lot of love. And I can’t just bury my head and go, ‘Oh, that doesn’t matter anymore.’
“This wasn’t the easy option tonight. I didn’t know what was going to happen; I heard all sorts of things were going to happen. I didn’t know whether I’d be safe, or you’d be safe, or things would be thrown at me, or people would boo. And I’ve walked out, and I’ve felt so much love from you guys, and I’m so grateful.
“The world is a scary place right now. America is a scary place right now. This gives hope. This gives hope. Thank you so much, Philadelphia. I hope you all have had fun.
“The one thing that I would like to apologise for is the first bit of the show where it wasn’t about music and I had to talk. I understand that people have children here and I understand that families did not buy a ticket to hear that first bit of the show. But that was something I felt like I needed to say. I felt that there were a lot of questions that I needed to answer. So to all the parents who brought their kids here tonight, thank you so much for bringing them and I do apologise for the first bit of the show.
“My shows are about this. They’re about unity, they’re about love, they’re about family. They’re about people coming together that don’t know each other that have different beliefs. You’re jumping around like maniacs with each other and having fun. And I will never stop doing this. I love doing this so much.”
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
