Opening Acts Pull Out of Ed Sheeran's Tour to Support Macklemore
All four supporting acts and the backing band for Ed Sheeran's tour have pulled out after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up. Macklemore was dismissed following pressure from stadium owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft, who objected to his pro-Palestinian comments in New Jersey. In response, artists like Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and the band Beoga withdrew to protest what they called the silencing of political speech. The musicians asserted that financial influence should not determine who is allowed to speak out against human suffering.
All four opening acts and the live backing band for Ed Sheeran's upcoming "Loop" tour have pulled out of their scheduled performances. This collective departure was announced in solidarity with American rapper Macklemore, who was recently dropped from the tour line-up. Sheeran made the decision to remove the rapper following intense pressure from stadium owners who objected to Macklemore's pro-Palestinian statements during recent concerts.
The controversy began during two performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4, where Macklemore expressed support for Gaza and the West Bank, using the phrase "free Palestine". Consequently, several venue owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft, demanded his removal. After Sheeran confirmed on Instagram that venue owners had pressured him, the other performers quickly reacted.
Finneas, who had been scheduled to open six South American concerts in November, was the first to cancel. He stated on social media that artists must not be silenced when speaking up for the oppressed. Soon after, Irish singer Aaron Rowe, who was booked for ten North American dates, also withdrew. Rowe explained that his Irish heritage made him sensitive to occupation, adding that he could not allow wealthy individuals to silence political voices.
Sheeran's backing group, the Irish traditional band Beoga, also announced their departure from the American leg of the tour, stating that they wanted to protest the exclusion of Macklemore. Although they have been friends with Sheeran for a decade, they emphasized their belief in dialogue. Finally, the Danish group Lukas Graham withdrew as well. Lead singer Lukas Forchhammer argued that financial power should not dictate who is allowed to speak about human suffering. These consecutive cancellations have left the future of Sheeran's tour in doubt, highlighting the deep political divisions currently impacting the global music industry.
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Why was Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran's tour?
Passive Voice with 'Get' and 'Be'
The passive voice is used to focus on the person or thing affected by an action, rather than the agent performing the action. It is constructed using 'be' (in the appropriate tense) + past participle.
“This collective departure was announced in solidarity with American rapper Macklemore, who was recently dropped from the tour line-up.”
What to know · B2
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Scenario: You are discussing a controversial decision made by a major company or organization with your colleagues.
- 01“This collective departure was announced”
- 02“the other performers quickly reacted”
- 03“deep political divisions currently impacting”
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🔑Key Phrases
Used to describe a situation where multiple people or groups leave a project or organization at the same time.
This collective departure was announced after the board of directors refused to negotiate.
Expresses the belief that money and wealth should not control or decide how things are run or who is heard.
Many argue that financial power should not dictate the quality of healthcare citizens receive.
Describes a rapid response from a group of people following an event or announcement.
Once the news broke, the other performers quickly reacted by releasing a joint statement.
Used to explain the motivation behind an action aimed at challenging the removal or blocking of someone.
The students gathered because they wanted to protest the exclusion of their favorite teacher from the committee.
Refers to strong disagreements on political matters that are actively affecting a specific field or society.
The debate highlighted the deep political divisions currently impacting local government decisions.
Article Audio — Kokoro TTS
Opening Acts Pull Out of Ed Sheeran's Tour to Support Macklemore
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
Do you think venue owners and sponsors should have the right to influence who performs at a concert based on political views?
Opinion - 2
In what ways can artists balance their political beliefs with the commercial demands of their careers?
Evaluate
News sourced from: The Guardian Culture →. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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