Macklemore has set his own headlining dates now that his schedule has “freed up a bit,” as he put it in on Instagram, following the fallout of his removal from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour for voicing support of the Palestinian people. “What happened to me
is bigger than one artist or one stage,” he wrote. “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.” He will be bringing that message to stages in Dublin, Paris, and London in October.
The promoter for Sheeran’s tour removed Macklemore from Sheeran’s gigs earlier this month. In a statement at the time, Macklemore said that Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, had told Sheeran that he didn’t want Macklemore speaking out against Israel at the show.
“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore wrote on Thursday. “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.
“It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” he continued. “People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”
Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” tour will open in Dublin on Oct. 26, followed by Paris on the 29th and London a day later. U.S. dates will be announced in the future. “I’ve spent the last week reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences,” he wrote. “Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe.” He didn’t name any of these support artists because, as he wrote, he’s still working out the details at a fast speed. “All proceeds will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement,” he wrote.
Sheeran continued his tour without support acts on Saturday in Philadelphia, following every opener dropping off the bill in support of Macklemore. “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,” he told the crowd. “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 essential to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.”
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