Ed Sheeran Addresses Macklemore's Removal Before Philadelphia Show Opener

Ed Sheeran opened his Saturday night show in Philadelphia with an unscheduled moment: before performing any music, he walked onstage to apologize to the crowd and address the removal of Macklemore from the tour's US dates. According to CNN, Macklemore had been pulled from those dates after making pro-Palestinian remarks onstage.

What was said

CNN reports the timing precisely — Sheeran addressed the crowd "before performing any music," meaning the statement came before the concert itself began. His remarks reportedly included an apology to the audience and comments explaining Macklemore's exit from the US leg of the tour.

The backstory

Macklemore had been billed as a performer on the US dates of the tour. He was removed after delivering pro-Palestinian statements from the stage. CNN shared a video clip of the incident on social media; the full clip is viewable via CNN's Instagram post.

What we don't know yet

The source does not specify the exact date of the Philadelphia show beyond "Saturday night," nor does it name the venue, or detail the full content of Sheeran's remarks.