Macklemore Launches Free Palestine Tour in Dublin

Macklemore began his Free Palestine Tour on Monday night at Dublin's 3Arena. The sold-out venue hosted the first of three planned benefit concerts. Organizers kept the lineup secret until the event started. The show marked a return to the stage for the rapper just weeks after he was removed from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour.

The concert featured a diverse roster of musicians and speakers. Hozier and the Irish hip-hop group Kneecap performed on the bill. Palestinian-American DJ Habibeats and Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul also appeared. Rapper M1 of Dead Prez joined the lineup as well. Boega, the backing band that left Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore, played at the venue.

The tour continues at Paris' Accor Arena on October 29. The final stop is London's OVO Arena Wembley on October 30. All three dates have sold out. Proceeds from the concerts will go to organizations supporting Palestine and the Palestinian movement.

Irish actor Liam Cunningham spoke during the Dublin show. Activist and psychotherapist Nadia Greenspan and artist Samir Eskanda were also special guests. Cunningham addressed the crowd about the purpose of the night. "Enjoying tonight does not mean forgetting about the suffering in Gaza," he said. "It means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought so hard to protect."

A press release stated that the beneficiary organizations provide medical supplies, food, and humanitarian aid. They also work on education, community support, and advocacy. The release noted that the concert series centers on the families, children, and healthcare workers in Gaza. It described the ongoing situation there as a genocide that impacts the region's communities.

Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran's tour last month. He had shared pro-Palestine messages during his opening sets. Messina Touring Group, Sheeran's promoter, said venues threatened to pull out if Macklemore remained on the bill. The group stated that this would result in cancellation and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. They confirmed Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates.

Ed Sheeran addressed the decision onstage later. He said he did not want to be an activist musician. He noted that the situation placed him in the middle of a debate on freedom of speech. Sheeran said his concerts have always been a safe space for everyone. He expressed worry that venues pre-approve content for performance. He called the practice something that should never happen in the free world.

Macklemore announced the tour on Instagram. He wrote that a collective awakening had occurred over the last three years. He said being apolitical during a genocide no longer works. He said people are asking artists to show up and use the stage for more than entertainment. He said artists are being asked to push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.