Messina Touring Group LLC

Macklemore repeatedly said free Palestine performed his protest song Heinz Hall and displayed imagery related to the destruction in Gaza.

The comments prompted criticism and a petition seeking his removal, while several upcoming venues reportedly informed promoter Messina Touring Group that they would not host the concerts with Macklemore on the lineup.

Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft specifically argued that Macklemore's recent actions and what Kraft described as a broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric had crossed the venue's line.

Macklemore has rejected the idea that his criticism of Israel represents criticism of Jewish people, saying his message concerns Palestinian rights and equal treatment.

The rapper had appeared at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on the fourth of September, where he told the audience part of his reason for joining the tour was to say Free Palestine in a stadium and said he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know we have not forgotten about them.

Promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently said venues scheduled to host forthcoming shows had told it they would not permit concerts featuring Macklemore, potentially jeopardizing the performances.

The controversy widened when Ed's remaining support acts Finneas O'Connell, Lucas Graham, and Aaron Rowe withdrew from the tour, while Irish group Beoga also pulled out of appearances accompanying Ed.

Ed subsequently returned to the stage in Philadelphia and addressed the dispute, describing the situation in Gaza as catastrophic and unjustifiable.

The rapper had appeared at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on the 4th of September, where he told the audience part of his reason for joining the tour was to say "Free Palestine" in a stadium and said he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know we have not forgotten about them.

Promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently said venues scheduled to host forthcoming shows had told it they would not permit concerts featuring Macklemore, potentially jeopardizing the performances.

The controversy widened when Ed's remaining support acts Finneas O'Connell, Lucas Graham, and Aaron Roe withdrew from the tour, while Irish group Beoga also pulled out of appearances accompanying Ed.

Ed subsequently returned to the stage in Philadelphia and addressed the dispute, describing the situation in Gaza as catastrophic and unjustifiable.

When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention." The announcement follows a turbulent period for Ed, 35, and his Loop tour after Macklemore was removed from its remaining US dates.

The rapper had appeared at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on the 4th of September, where he told the audience part of his reason for joining the tour was to say "Free Palestine" in a stadium, and said he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know, "We have not forgotten about them." Promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently said venues scheduled to host forthcoming shows had told it they would not permit concerts featuring Macklemore, potentially jeopardizing the performances.

The controversy widened when Ed's remaining support acts, Finneas O'Connell, Lucas Graham, and Aaron Roe, withdrew from the tour, while Irish group Beoga also pulled out of appearances accompanying Ed.

Ed subsequently returned to the stage in Philadelphia and addressed the dispute, describing the situation in Gaza as catastrophic and unjustifiable.

Quoting from that post, "If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues." Unquote.

Messina Touring Group, the promoter of the US portion of Sheeran's tour, said in a statement that they were notified by venues from the upcoming US tour dates that they would not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore in the lineup.

Obviously, this represents a serious affront to freedom of speech, something that is far from new on the matter of Palestine.

As of yet, Kraft has not discussed or denied the allegations of mounting this pressure campaign against the rapper.

He doesn't reach out.

But his people reached out to the promoter, and the promoter, who is the Messina Touring Group, were informed that McLemore was not welcome at Gillette Stadium.

Well, then, of course, other stadiums joined in with the same request that they did with McLemore.

So then it came down to McLemore being asked to leave the tour.

This week's episode started originally with the images of Ed Sheeran's self-pity live on stage in Philadelphia.

Of Robert Kraft and Messina touring group getting exactly what they wanted, Macklemore's absence.

A doom-laden story of capitalism colonising culture completely.

But with Macklemore's announcement of their free Palestine tour, that story changed.

He said venues had communicated that they would pull their shows if McLemore remained on the bill.

The promoter then announced that McLemore would no longer perform on the remaining dates.

That promoter was a Messina touring group.

Both Kraft and Messina are powerful players, with considerable influence over what happens on stage.

Two stops at Gillette Stadium have been cancelled because of the impending Nor'easter.

Messina Touring Group posted to social media the decision was made with the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority.

Refunds are available for those who bought tickets.

Sheeran's tour already had been embroiled in controversy.

arguing that criticism of Israel was not criticism of the Jewish people.

After objections from venue owners, most notably the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, promoter Messina Touring Group, removed McLemore from the remaining dates of the Loop tour.

The promoter said venues would not allow shows featuring him to go forward.

Sheeran said he tried to broker a compromise, but that the venues and promoters made the final decision.

Mm.

Uh, he said, "Look, he, he can't open on this." And the Messina Touring Group, part of Live Nation, who look after Ed Sheeran, have, you know, said, "Oh, listen, we have to pull Macklemore because all these venues are saying they're gonna drop out." Think, okay, and Ed Sheeran in this, and you know, he issued a statement on Instagram, which, which was super vanilla, but there was nothing.

It was all kind of, you think, "Yeah, yeah, I sort of see that." So Ed, Ed Sheeran has said, "Look, I've got hundreds of thousands of people coming to these gigs.

They've all bought tickets.

Yeah

... and we have a good per- close personal relationship," so you know, there's that.

But there is definitively a moment, there would've been a meeting, there would've been a single discussion where the Messina Touring Group-- Don't forget, Robert Kraft is a billionaire.

The Messina Touring Group are incredibly wealthy.