Ed Sheeran has gathered a legendary list of opps ever since he US rapper Macklemore from his tour earlier this month, but this latest one forced him to cancel his shows outright. That’s right, folks, mother nature has entered the chat.
The tour’s promoters — who Sheeran credited with making the decision to boot Macklemore — announced in an update on Instagram that his shows at the Gillette Stadium near Boston will be cancelled “due to severe weather warnings”
They said the decision was made with the safety of “fans, staff and everyone involved with the shows as the top priority”.
This is just the latest in a series of setbacks for Sheeran, who has been in the news ever since Macklemore — who was opening for the singer — used his concert stage to a “free Palestine”.
While the crowd cheered the rapper on, some pro-Israel groups called for action against him. The action came when Macklemore was taken out from the rest of the tour at the insistence of venue owners who refused to let Sheeran’s shows proceed otherwise.
Among those venue owners was Robert Kraft, the pro-Israel businessman described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “friend” of the country. It was his venue in Massachusetts that was impacted by the concert cancellations.
Earlier, all of Sheeran’s supporting acts of the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, including the tour’s live band, as the singer scrambled to defend his decision and make a statement that could please both sides — it did not.
The rapper has since announced he will be the $1 million he earned on Sheeran’s tour to organisations working in Palestine and called on Kraft to match his pledge.
This was met by the singer and the businessman announcing they’d be donating $2m each to “aid in the region”. Macklemore’s appeal was answered by children’s entertainer Ms Rachel, who matched his donation with $1m to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Macklemore is now preparing to continue his contribution with his Free Palestine . He announced shows in Dublin, London and Paris on Thursday, saying all proceeds will go to Palestinian organisations.
Meanwhile in Palestine, Israel Palestinians in Gaza, with the death toll from the brutal war on the territory sitting at 73,928. Israeli military action has also led to over 175,000 injuries as per the health ministry in Gaza.
