Ed Sheeran Names New Tour Openers After Controversial Macklemore Exit

Ed Sheeran has booked two new opening acts for the remaining U.S. dates of his Loop Tour. The 35-year-old “Galway Girl” singer was left without scheduled support after Macklemore was removed from the lineup following pro-Palestinian comments made during two New Jersey performances. Sheeran’s other support acts subsequently withdrew in protest. After Sheeran played Philadelphia without an opener, Isaac Slade, the former frontman of The Fray, joined the bill for his Atlanta concert last weekend. On Thursday, Slade confirmed on Instagram that he will also appear at upcoming shows in Indianapolis on October 10, Charlotte on October 17, Arlington on October 24 and Tampa on November 7. “See you out there,” he wrote. American Idol contestant Brooks Rosser will serve as the second new opener, joining Sheeran in Indianapolis. Rosser, who competed on the 24th season of American Idol earlier this year, announced the booking on Instagram. “My first show since American Idol, and it’s at Lucas Oil Stadium opening for @teddysphotos. I’m beyond excited and grateful,” he wrote.

“See you Saturday!” Rosser added. Sheeran’s October 29 and October 30 concerts in Hollywood, Florida, will not feature opening acts because they are scheduled as casino shows. Slade has previously made surprise appearances during Sheeran’s concerts, including a late-August performance in Toronto where the pair sang The Fray’s 2005 hit “How to Save a Life.” He performed the song again during his opening set last weekend, along with another Fray favorite, “You Found Me.”

Between the two songs, Slade reportedly told Sheeran’s fans that he was “honored to be here.” He said the world’s divisions demanded people seek common ground, adding that “what’s happening over there is wrong” but that moving forward would require people to “step into that middle place.” Slade described peace as “a bonfire in the middle of the field that sees both sides” and said it is more than simply the absence of conflict. His remarks appeared to express support for Sheeran as the singer faced scrutiny over the tour controversy.

“Peace is not a black canvas that we need to guard and be polite,” Slade continued. He said peace contains “enough beauty, enough tragedy, enough sorrow, enough joy and life” if people learn to hold those emotions in balance. He ended the brief speech by telling the audience, “We will find a way through this together.” The comments came after Sheeran’s stadium tour was thrown into turmoil, with Finneas, Lukas Graham and the backing band Beoga all leaving the lineup after Macklemore was dropped.

Macklemore’s removal followed two performances on Sheeran’s Loop Tour last month in which he delivered a “Free Palestine” speech and performed his protest track “Hind’s Hall.” The appearances prompted sharply divided reactions. Stadium owners, including Robert Kraft, were reportedly said to have threatened to cancel or shut down future Sheeran shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. Concerts at Gillette Stadium, one of Kraft’s venues, were ultimately canceled because of weather. After both camps issued statements on social media, Sheeran faced continued backlash and apologized during his September 19 performance in Philadelphia.

Speaking to the crowd without an opening act, Sheeran said he had been “making mistakes” and was “so, so sorry” for the controversy and its fallout. Becoming emotional during the show, he said the dispute had placed him “in the middle of an important, passionate argument about freedom of speech on the most complex issue on the planet.” Sheeran stressed that he had always wanted his concerts to be “a safe space for everybody,” calling that goal deeply important to him.

“Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am,” Sheeran said. “That is why I’m here tonight, on my own, continuing my own tour.” He also voiced concern that freedom of speech could be restricted, saying, “It should never happen in the free world.” Sheeran’s U.S. tour will continue through Tampa, Florida, in early November before moving to Latin America. The global trek is scheduled to conclude in Mexico City on December 11.

Meanwhile, Macklemore says his newly announced “Free Palestine” tour sold out immediately after he was removed from Sheeran’s lineup. “All three shows sold out immediately,” he wrote on Instagram last month. “I’m honestly blown away. We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like.” The three-date “Macklemore & Friends: Free Palestine” tour will feature artists who have used their platforms to support Palestinians and will stop in Dublin, Paris and London.