Macklemore Launches Sold-Out Free Palestine Tour in Dublin With Hozier, Kneecap and Ed Sheeran’s Backing Band

Macklemore kicked off his Free Palestine Tour on Monday night in Dublin, weeks after he was removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour after sharing his “free Palestine” message during his opening set. The sold-out event served as a benefit concert, with organizers deciding not to unveil the lineup ahead of time. Monday’s concert featured Hozier, Kneecap, Palestinian-American DJ and producer DJ Habibeats, Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul and rapper M1 of Dead Prez on the lineup at Dublin’s 3Arena. Boega, the backing band that dropped out of Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore, also was on the bill. It marked the first of three sold-out shows, with the concert series continuing at Paris’ Accor Arena on Oct. 29 followed by a performance at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Oct. 30. Irish actor Liam Cunningham, activist and psychotherapist Nadia Greenspan and artist, activist and organizer Samir Eskanda were special guests speakers on Monday night in Dublin. “Enjoying tonight does not mean forgetting about the suffering in Gaza,” Cunningham said onstage, according to published reports. “It means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought so hard to protect.” All proceeds from the concerts will benefit organizations supporting Palestine and the Palestinian movement. “Together, these organizations represent a broad range of work supporting Palestinian people providing essential medical supplies, food and humanitarian assistance to advancing education, community support, advocacy and the imperative need for policy change among complicit countries around the world,” a press release read. “At the heart of the concert series are the Palestinian families, children, healthcare workers, students, artists and communities whose lives and futures continue to be profoundly impacted by the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran’s tour last month after drawing headlines for his pro-Palestine speeches during his opening performances on the trek, with Sheeran’s promoter stating that venues set to host the tour threatened to pull out if Macklemore was on the bill. “As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” Messina Touring Group, Sheeran’s longtime concert promoter, said at the time. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.” Sheeran later addressed the controversy onstage: “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet. My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.” The singer added that he was “deeply worried about the idea that venues pre-approve content for performance.” He added, “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.” In announcing his Free Palestine Tour, Macklemore wrote on Instagram: “If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years. There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now. It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. 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.”