Ed Sheeran apologised to fans attending his show in Philadelphia at the weekend – the first since support act Macklemore was dropped over pro-Palestine comments on stage.
The move to drop Macklemore – a decision later attributed to the promoter by Sheeran – led to all the support acts leaving the singer-songwriter’s Loop Tour.
A small group of protesters outside the venue at the weekend showed their support for Palestine.
"I never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about free speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," Sheeran told the audience at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Opening the performance, Sheeran admitted to “mistakes” for which he apologised.
In his remarks, he addressed both the “horrific” October 7 attack and the "catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate" situation in Gaza.
"I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division", he said. "But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore."
Sheeran was able to perform largely solo with a loop pedal, as well as featuring guest musicians. Irish folk band Beoga, who had appeared alongside Sheeran, pulled out after Macklemore was dropped.
The tour is set to continue with scheduled shows at Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta and Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis.
