Protesters and police were ready to welcome fans at Ed Sheeran’s concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. This was his first show since he faced backlash over comments made by his opening act about Palestine.
Rapper Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s US Loop Tour on Monday. This happened after stadium owners did not like his shout of "Free Palestine" during a performance in New Jersey earlier this month.
Sheeran said he did not make the decision to take Macklemore off the tour. He stated that his tour’s promoter was the one responsible for that choice.
But soon after, four other supporting acts quit the tour. This included Sheeran’s own backing band and singer Finneas, who is known for working with his sister, Billie Eilish.
Many artists are now speaking out about the ongoing conflict in Gaza and violence against settlers in the West Bank. But the 35-year-old British singer has chosen to stay away from politics.
“I am not 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,” he shared on Instagram on Tuesday.
He added, “Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum.”
Sheeran, who went from being a busker to a superstar, faced criticism for not standing up to the stadium owners. This controversy has led to calls for a boycott against him.
“Clearly, there’s some real discontent around how this whole situation is being managed, and he’s definitely having to do some brand reputation management,” said Gretchen Larsen, a music industry professor at Durham University Business School in the UK.
No new opening acts or backing bands were announced. It was unclear how Sheeran would set up his show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday night.
A pro-Palestinian rally, organized by local groups, was planned to take place near the concert venue in the afternoon.
City police told AFP they would have an “appropriate police presence” to keep concertgoers, employees, and local residents safe.
On the resale market, tickets for the concert have been selling a bit faster since Monday, compared to earlier dates on Sheeran’s tour. This info comes from TicketData, a tracking site.
“Some share of the audience isn’t tuned in to anything political or is completely indifferent to it. They have only just now become aware that Ed Sheeran is even playing in their city. They’re buying tickets with zero connection to the controversy,” said site founder Keith Pagello.
The price for the cheapest tickets dropped from $123 on Monday to $67 by Friday afternoon.
Pagello noted that this decline is not necessarily tied to the controversy. It is common for concert ticket prices to fall as the event date gets closer.
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