Ed Sheeran cancels concerts set for Friday and Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with refunds to be issued, as a powerful nor’easter bears down on New England.
Promoter Messina Touring said Friday that the shows were called off after consulting local officials because of severe weather warnings across Boston and the wider region. The company said the choice was difficult but safety for fans, staff, and everyone involved was the top priority.
The storm is forecast to bring strong winds, coastal flooding, and heavy rain to much of the East Coast. The National Weather Service said gusts could reach 60 to 65 mph on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket on Friday night, with 50 to 55 mph possible around Boston.
Ed Sheeran cancels concerts amid tour turbulence
The cancellations add to recent turbulence on Sheeran’s Loop Tour. Earlier this month, Macklemore was removed from the lineup following pro-Palestinian remarks at a Sept. 5 show in New Jersey, and supporting acts withdrew in solidarity.
Sheeran told fans at a Sunday concert in Philadelphia that he wants his music and shows to be about unity and humanity, not politics. He also called the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel horrific and the situation in Gaza catastrophic and unjustifiable.
The decision to drop Macklemore followed urging from Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, who cited the rapper’s recent comments and what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Sheeran has said he was not responsible for removing Macklemore, pointing to the tour promoter’s decision.
Last week, Macklemore pledged $1 million for Palestinian relief and urged Kraft to match the donation. A spokesperson for Kraft said the billionaire and Sheeran each agreed to give $2 million, though the recipients have not been specified.
As of last year, industry outlet Pollstar ranked the Grammy-winning Shape of You singer as the No. 3 top-earning concert act of the millennium, a status comparable to other major pop acts such as those highlighted in Carly Rae Jepsen Day and Night: 24-track pop set lands.
The storm is expected to significantly impact Massachusetts, where state officials have been monitoring coastal flooding and high winds along the shoreline.
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