Macklemore Opens Sold-Out 'Free Palestine' Tour in Dublin After Being Dropped From Sheeran Tour

Rapper Macklemore opened his sold-out "Free Palestine" benefit tour on Monday at Dublin's 13,000-capacity 3Arena, his first show since being removed as opening act on Ed Sheeran's US stadium tour. Unannounced guests included Hozier, the Dublin rap group Kneecap and Sheeran's backing band, plus video messages from actors Mark Ruffalo and Cynthia Nixon. Macklemore was dropped after speaking about Palestine on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey; Patriots owner Robert Kraft reportedly pushed for his removal. Sheeran's other openers then quit the tour. Proceeds from Macklemore's shows go to groups assisting Palestinians, and he has said he will donate the $1 million he earned as Sheeran's opener to Palestinian aid. Only three dates were announced at first, with more promised. Separately, Jack Antonoff told The Guardian that Sheeran should have cancelled his tour rather than let a billionaire dictate his lineup.

The Guardian and NBC News, on the left, cover the Dublin concert itself. The Guardian's review calls it a triumph, quotes a Kneecap member sarcastically thanking Sheeran, and recounts the Kraft pressure and the artist walkouts. NBC's short piece calls the removal "controversial" and treats the opening night as a report from the venue. The Daily Mail and Washington Times, on the right, differ in focus. The Daily Mail leads with Antonoff's profane attack on Sheeran, giving both men's ages and saying Kraft "allegedly" threatened to cancel shows. The Washington Times gives a brief account of the first show framed as the Kraft-Sheeran fallout. All four tie the tour to Sheeran's decision. The left leads with the performance and guests, while the right foregrounds the dispute. Stereogum, an alternative outlet, stands apart with openly opinionated language, the $1 million donation and side details such as Zach Bryan's shirt.