Storm Warnings Cancel Two Ed Sheeran Concerts

Ed Sheeran's two concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, were canceled due to severe weather warnings from an incoming nor'easter. Promoter Messina Touring posted that the decision put the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved first and that refunds are available at the point of purchase, with Ticketmaster buys automatically refunded. National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Belk said wind gusts could approach up to 55 mph around Boston; the stadium sits about 30 miles south. The cancellations followed Robert Kraft barring Macklemore from the venue after pro-Palestinian remarks, with Kraft saying he would not provide a platform for hate speech. Finneas and other support acts then withdrew from the Loop Tour. Sheeran apologized to fans, saying he was making mistakes and was so, so sorry for them, and that he did not want to disappoint fans or be an activist musician but had been put in the middle of an argument about freedom of speech and the Israel-Gaza conflict; he called October 7 and the Nova festival attack horrific and the situation in Gaza catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate. Macklemore announced a European Free Palestine Tour including a London date. Massachusetts Peace Action called off its planned stadium demonstration because the concerts were no longer happening.