After other musical acts quit his tour following Macklemore's removal for pro-Palestinian messaging during a performance, Ed Sheeran has found a replacement opening act.
Before Sheeran took the stage at his Loop Tour show at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3, an artist he's described as "formative" to his songwriting career opened the show. Isaac Slade, a founding member and former frontman of The Fray who left the band in 2022 because of mental health concerns, stepped out as a surprise guest and performed hits like "How to Save a Life" and "You Found Me."
During his set, Slade, 45, addressed the controversy that Sheeran's tour has been embroiled in over the past month after stadium owners, led by Gillette Stadium owner Robert
Kraft, told Sheeran's touring group that "they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup." Sheeran's shows at the Foxborough, Massachusetts, venue were ultimately canceled due to severe nor'easter weather warnings.
"Two people I deeply respect have found themselves on opposite sides of the field," Slade said, according to videos shared on social media. "I respect and admire Macklemore for raising his voice for the innocent lives that are being lost right now as we speak. I respect Ed for making this place safe and welcoming for all of us, regardless of what we believe."
"Everybody seems to be taking sides … and that's good. What's happening over there is not right," he continued. "But if we're going to get through this, we also need people who are brave enough to step out into the middle place, that common ground, that bonfire in the middle of the field that sees both sides, that understands that peace is not the lack of conflict."
He called peace a "messy painting" that contains beauty, tragedy and sorrow and asserted that "if we learn how to integrate it and hold each other in balance, we will find a way through this together."
This was Sheeran's first show since apologizing for "making mistakes" as he dealt with "difficult decisions" while performing at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field without openers or a backing band – all of whom quit in solidarity with Macklemore – on Sept. 19.
That show was his first since Macklemore was dropped as an opening act Sept. 14, a move that led to notable figures from Greta Thunberg to Ms. Rachel and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to criticize Sheeran and his team for allowing the Seattle-born rapper to be taken off the tour.
Ed Sheeran has defended apolitical stance as pursuit of 'unity' through music
Sheeran, who previously issued a statement expressing that he is "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine" and called the "suffering and pain caused on both sides" a "human tragedy," has pushed back against claims that he is complicit.
"I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. 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," Sheeran wrote in his Sept. 15 Instagram post.
The "Thinking Out Loud" artist defended his decision not to "use my professional platform for politics," arguing that while he respects Macklemore's "strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes," he said, "If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change."
"There is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace," Sheeran wrote. "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."
The same day Sheeran shared his comments, Finneas O'Connell, Danish band Lukas Graham, Irish band Beoga and singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe all announced they would not be returning for the rest of the Loop Tour, which ends Nov. 7 in Tampa, Florida.
"Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," Finneas wrote. "I stand with Palestine and its people."
Since his removal, Macklemore has announced a Free Palestine Tour, and he vowed to donate proceeds to 12 organizations supporting Palestinians.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ed Sheeran's new tour opener speaks out on Macklemore, calls for 'common ground'
