Ed Sheeran Warns Against Venue Content Controls as Loop Tour Resumes in Philadelphia

Ed Sheeran publicly criticized venues for seeking control over performers’ content Saturday night as his Loop Tour resumed in Philadelphia, directly addressing the controversy that engulfed the stadium run following Macklemore’s removal from the tour.

Performing at Lincoln Financial Field without the tour’s previously announced opening acts, Sheeran told the crowd he was “deeply worried” by venues seeking to influence what performers could say or present onstage.

“I don’t think venues should be pre-approving artist content,” Sheeran said, according to reports from the show.

The comments marked a notable shift in emphasis from Sheeran’s initial response to the controversy. While he again maintained that removing Macklemore was not his decision, Sheeran moved beyond explaining how the decision occurred and directly challenged the principle of venues exercising that kind of control over performers.

The remarks came hours after TicketNews examined the broader implications of the dispute for stadium touring, including the leverage that venue operators can wield over promoters and artists when a tour depends on access to a relatively small number of NFL-sized facilities.

Sheeran Says Venues Should Not Control Artist Speech

The Loop Tour unraveled over the preceding week after Macklemore used his opening set at MetLife Stadium to make pro-Palestinian remarks and perform “Hind’s Hall,” accompanied by imagery related to the war in Gaza.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft subsequently acknowledged that Macklemore would not be permitted to perform at Kraft-owned Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, where Sheeran is scheduled for two shows this coming weekend.

Macklemore later said Kraft spearheaded an effort involving other NFL stadium owners that ultimately resulted in his removal from the tour. Reporting from The Wall Street Journal identified owners associated with several other stadiums on the itinerary as having similar objections, although the newspaper reported that those owners independently arrived at their positions.

Sheeran has said the ultimate decision to remove Macklemore was made by Messina Touring Group, the tour’s promoter, after venues threatened the ability of the tour to proceed.

There has been no public evidence showing that Sheeran personally ordered Macklemore’s removal, nor has evidence emerged establishing that Live Nation or Ticketmaster coordinated the venue objections. But Sheeran’s remarks Saturday directly addressed the broader structural issue created when venues condition access on what an artist or supporting act can say onstage.

“I’m deeply worried about the idea of venues pre-approving artist content,” Sheeran told the Philadelphia audience, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Sheeran also apologized for his own handling of the turmoil.

“I am making mistakes, and I am so, so sorry,” he said.

Sheeran Expands Comments on Gaza

Sheeran also used the Philadelphia show to make his most extensive public comments yet about Israel and Gaza.

The singer condemned the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks in Israel, while describing the continuing situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.” He also referenced civilian deaths and conditions in the West Bank.

“This is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” Sheeran told the audience.

That represented another significant evolution from his initial statement last week, when Sheeran emphasized that he had generally avoided turning his concerts into political forums and wanted his shows to remain spaces where people with different views could attend together.

He continued to make that case Saturday, saying people with opposing views should still be able to stand alongside one another and sing the same songs.

The controversy has nevertheless transformed the Loop Tour’s North American run.

Following Macklemore’s removal, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Finneas announced that they would no longer participate in the tour. Sheeran’s longtime collaborators Beoga also withdrew. Several of the departing performers explicitly linked their decisions to Macklemore’s removal.

The Philadelphia show consequently went ahead without a billed opener. Its advertised start time had been moved from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. following the lineup departures.

Sheeran began the show largely alone before being joined by replacement musicians later in the performance. Roughly 50,000 people attended, according to accounts from the show, while a smaller group of demonstrators gathered outside Lincoln Financial Field.

Gillette Shows Remain Scheduled

Attention now turns to Gillette Stadium, the venue at the center of the dispute.

Sheeran remains scheduled to perform there Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26. As of Monday morning, both Gillette Stadium and Ticketmaster continued to list the concerts for 5:30 p.m., while Sheeran’s official tour website also continued to list both dates.

The previously advertised support lineup, however, is no longer intact.

TicketNews previously reported that refunds began being processed for some Philadelphia ticket buyers after the support acts departed. Refund availability for the upcoming Gillette shows has been less clear, with some buyers reporting unsuccessful attempts to secure refunds following the lineup changes.

TicketNews has contacted relevant parties seeking additional information about the tour, the circumstances surrounding the venue objections and any role played by companies connected to the stadium touring and ticketing ecosystem. No response had been received as of publication.

For now, the tour is continuing. But Sheeran’s Philadelphia remarks have shifted the dispute beyond the question of who formally removed Macklemore from the lineup.

The artist at the center of the tour is now publicly questioning whether venues should possess the power to dictate what performers can say once they take the stage.