Ed Sheeran addressed safety concerns at his Philadelphia concert due to recent controversies involving fellow performer Macklemore. At Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Sheeran admitted to not knowing how fans would react after Macklemore's removal from the tour following comments about Palestine. He also revealed that he canceled his customary performance on a secondary stage out of fear for potential audience aggression. During the show, Sheeran broke down in tears while addressing the drama and clarified that he did not make the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour, which was made by the promoter based on discussions with venue shareholders.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
“At this point in the show, to be honest, I usually go out on the B stage,” Sheeran, 35, explained to the audience at Lincoln Financial Field in a moment captured by a fan and shared via X over the weekend.
asserted
Sheeran → go → weekend
“I’m gonna be totally honest with you, I didn’t know what this audience would be like,” the Grammy winner noted.
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winner → go → what
“I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me.
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things → know → me
I didn’t know if people would be angry at me.”
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people → know → me
Smiling and shrugging, Sheeran added, “I apologize that today is not the usual Loop show.
asserted
today → smile → ?
I took the B stage out because was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle.
uncertain
I → take → middle
And I will admit that.”
asserted
I → admit → that
Sheeran’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
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rep → respond → comment
The songwriter’s tour kicked off in January — and Saturday’s show featured another notable difference, in addition to the missing B stage.
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show → kick → stage
In addition to Macklemore, 43, being cut last week over “Free Palestine” comments, Sheeran’s backing band subsequently quit in solidarity along with openers Fikas, Lukas Graham and Aarow Rowe.
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band → cut → Fikas
At the start of Saturday’s show, Sheeran addressed the drama onstage and broke down in tears.
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Sheeran → address → tears
“This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s OK if I say a few words about this last week,” the “A Team” hitmaker said.
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hitmaker → open → week
“I’m used to my music being criticized … but this week, the criticism was about something much more important.”
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criticism → ’m → something
“I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry,” he continued, clarifying that while he “never wanted to be an activist musician,” he is “in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet.”
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he → make → planet
Sheeran concluded, “My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me.
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that → conclude → me
Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am.
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I → honor → fans
That is why I am here tonight, on my own, and continuing my current tour.”
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I → continue → tour
Sheeran initially broke his silence via Instagram on Tuesday, writing that he’s “not complicit” in the “devastating conflict” in the Middle East — and that he was not directly behind the decision to axe Macklemore.
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he → break → Macklemore
“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” he noted.
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he → come → tour
I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work.”
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who → let → work
Messina Touring Group, promoter of the US leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, announced Macklemore’s removal after “discussions with shareholders” over “several venues” — including Saturday night’s stadium — “not allow[ing] a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup.”
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Macklemore → announce → lineup
Macklemore was the first to speak out about the drama, writing via Instagram that “wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”
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humans → speak → Instagram
In a lengthy post Monday, he defended voicing his support for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas War “loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
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we → defend → them
The “Thrift Shop” hitmaker clarified that he and Sheeran are not “victims” in the drama as they have “careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world,” while the Palestinian people have “been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence.”
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people → clarify → violence
He shared his intention to remain friends with Sheeran in the social media upload.
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He → share → upload
Conversation
Your voice matters.
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voice → matter → ?
Discussions are moderated for civility.
asserted
Discussions → moderate → civility
The Aporia
