Ed Sheeran's concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, have been canceled due to severe weather, complicating a tour already facing controversy. On Friday, Sheeran's tour promoter, Messina Touring, announced the decision, citing severe weather warnings in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend.
“"Due to the severe weather warnings in place in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend and following consultation with local officials, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium," Messina Touring stated.
The safety of fans, staff, and everyone involved in the shows was emphasized as the top priority in this decision. Sheeran was scheduled to perform at the 64,628-seat arena on both Friday and Saturday as part of his Loop tour.
Background on the Controversy
The cancellations come amid ongoing controversy surrounding the tour. Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the stadium and the New England Patriots, had been pressuring Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour's opening acts. This pressure followed Macklemore's pro-Palestinian comments made during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Macklemore had stated, "Free Palestine! I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them." His remarks drew criticism from pro-Israel organizations, which accused him of using the concert to promote anti-Israel propaganda.
