Rapper Macklemore kicked off his highly publicized “Free Palestine Tour” on Tuesday night at Dublin’s 3Arena,performing to a sold-out crowd of 13,000 fans. The tour launch comes directly in the wake of the performer being removed as the opening act on Ed Sheeran’s global stadium tour last month following on-stage political statements.
The artist, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, announced the standalone headline dates shortly after his departure from Sheeran’s Loop Tour. The initial friction arose during an early September performance in New Jersey, where Haggerty addressed the stadium crowd:
“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine.”
Haggerty subsequently performed “Hinds Hall,” a track dedicated to pro-Palestinian student protesters at Columbia University, featuring lyrics sharply critical of military actions in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attacks. The performance drew criticism from several organizations and stadium owners—including billionaire venue operator Robert Kraft, who accused the artist of rhetoric surrounding the conflict. Haggerty was officially removed from the tour on September 14, later accusing venue owners of coordinating to push him out.
Sheeran subsequently clarified that the decision to drop the rapper was made by his concert promoter, Messina Touring Group, rather than himself. The controversy initially prompted all remaining support acts to step back from the tour in solidarity, leading Sheeran to address the fallout onstage in Philadelphia, acknowledging “mistakes” in handling the situation and calling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “unjustifiable and disproportionate” while condemning the October 7 attacks as “horrific.”
In Dublin, the atmosphere outside the venue mirrored the political focus of the evening, with fans donning keffiyeh scarves, Palestinian jerseys, and flags. Joining Haggerty on stage for the opening night were several high-profile Irish acts,including singer-songwriter Hozier, rap trio Kneecap, and folk group Beoga.
Haggerty confirmed that all proceeds from the “Free Palestine Tour” will be directed to organizations providing humanitarian aid to civilians in Palestine. The tour continues this week with scheduled stops in Paris on Thursday and London on Friday.
