Ed Sheeran concerts at Robert Kraft stadiums cancelled over weather

Singer’s tour has faced numerous setbacks after expulsion of rapper Macklemore over support for Palestine drew backlash.

Singer Ed Sheeran has come under scrutiny after his pro-Palestine support act, Macklemore, was dropped from his tour [File: Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters]

Ed Sheeran’s tour of the United States has been dealt another setback, with shows scheduled to take place in the stadium owned by pro-Israel billionaire Robert Kraft cancelled due to bad weather.

Gillette Stadium in the state of Massachusetts announced that shows scheduled for Friday and Saturday have been cancelled in anticipation of a major storm expected to bring heavy rainfall. The news was first reported by the outlet TMZ.

list 1 of 3 US rapper Macklemore announces Free Palestine tour after Ed Sheeran fallout

list 2 of 3 Ed Sheeran concert set to go ahead after outcry over Gaza

list 3 of 3 Which artists have pulled out of Ed Sheeran’s tour over Palestine?

“Due to the severe weather warnings in place in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend and following consultation with local officials, the promoter and tour have made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium,” the venue said in a statement on Friday.

“The decision was made with the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority.”

The stadium said tickets are refundable and that Ticketmaster ticketholders would receive automatic refunds.

Kraft played a key role in the expulsion earlier this month of the rapper Macklemore , Sheeran’s opening act for his US leg of the concert and an outspoken critic of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Macklemore was dropped for yelling “Free Palestine” on stage during a show in New Jersey, sparking a strong backlash with many concertgoers choosing to boycott it instead.

The controversy came to represent the substantial influence wielded by pro-Israel figures, but also underscored a massive shift in public opinion away from support for Israel that has taken place in the US over the last several years.

Amid public outcry, many artists scheduled to play with Sheeran on the tour announced they would drop out in solidarity with Macklemore. Newsweek reported that ticket prices for Sheeran’s concerts have fallen by more than 10 percent in recent days, citing TicketData.

Macklemore announced a tour of his own in support of Palestine earlier this week, stating that the proceeds will go towards organisations that help the Palestinians.

“Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” he said. “People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”

歌手的巡演遭遇了诸多挫折，此前，由于说唱歌手 Macklemore 支持巴勒斯坦而被驱逐出乐队，引发了强烈反弹。

歌手艾德·希兰因其支持巴勒斯坦的艺人麦克莫尔被取消巡演资格而受到审查。[图片：Maja Smiejkowska/路透社]

艾德·希兰的美国巡回演唱会再次遭遇挫折，原定在亲以色列亿万富翁罗伯特·克拉夫特拥有的体育场举行的演出因天气恶劣而被取消。

位于马萨诸塞州的吉列体育场宣布，由于预计一场强风暴将带来强降雨，原定于周五和周六举行的演出已被取消。该消息最初由TMZ报道。

美国说唱歌手 Macklemore 在与 Ed Sheeran 闹翻后宣布举办“自由巴勒斯坦”巡回演唱会（共 3 条，此为第 1 条）

列表 2/3：艾德·希兰演唱会将在加沙事件引发强烈抗议后如期举行

列表 3/3：哪些艺人因巴勒斯坦问题退出了艾德·希兰的巡回演唱会？

“由于整个周末波士顿和新英格兰地区都发布了恶劣天气预警，经与当地官员协商，主办方和巡演方做出了艰难的决定，取消在吉列体育场举行的艾德·希兰演唱会，”该场馆周五在一份声明中表示。

“做出这个决定，首要考虑的是歌迷、工作人员以及所有参与演出人员的安全。”

体育场方面表示，门票可以退款，通过 Ticketmaster 购票的观众将自动获得退款。

克拉夫特在本月初驱逐说唱歌手麦克莫尔的过程中发挥了关键作用。麦克莫尔是希兰美国演唱会的开场嘉宾，也是以色列对加沙发动种族灭绝战争的直言不讳的批评者。

Macklemore 在新泽西州的一场演出中高喊“解放巴勒斯坦”，引发强烈反弹，许多观众选择抵制这场演出，因此被解约。

这场争议不仅体现了亲以色列人士的巨大影响力，也凸显了过去几年美国公众舆论对以色列支持度的大幅下降。

在公众的强烈抗议下，许多原定与希兰同台演出的艺人宣布退出巡演，以声援麦克莫尔。《新闻周刊》援引票务数据TicketData报道称，希兰演唱会的票价近日已下跌超过10%。

本周早些时候，Macklemore宣布将举办个人巡回演唱会以支持巴勒斯坦，并表示演出收益将捐给帮助巴勒斯坦人的组织。

“在种族灭绝期间保持政治中立已经行不通了，”他说。“人们要求艺术家们站出来，自我教育，融入社区。他们希望艺术家们能利用舞台发挥更大的作用，而不仅仅是娱乐。当人们呼吁自由巴勒斯坦的声音遭到压制时，他们更应该挺身而出，予以反击。”