Macklemore Says His Free Palestine Tour ‘Sold Out Immediately,’ Teases ‘Lineups Coming Soon’
The rapper's three-date European run is set to feature "Macklemore and Friends."
Macklemore performs at Rod Laver Arena on May 15, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia.
Macklemore‘s upcoming Free Palestine Tour is sold out. The rapper announced in a Wednesday (Sept. 30) Instagram post that all three shows on his newly announced European run — in Dublin, Paris and London — “sold out immediately.”
The news comes less than a week after Macklemore announced the concerts, which are being organized to raise funds for organizations supporting Palestinians.
“I’m honestly blown away,” Macklemore wrote on Instagram alongside the announcement. “We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like.”
The tour currently includes a performance at Dublin’s 3Arena on Oct. 26, followed by a show at Paris’ Accor Arena on Oct. 29 and London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Oct. 30.
Macklemore has yet to reveal the artists who will join him for the concerts, with the initial announcement billing the shows simply as “Macklemore and Friends.” He said Wednesday that the official lineups are “coming soon.”
The three sold-out dates follow quite a turbulent month for the rapper, who was removed from Ed Sheeran‘s U.S. Loop Tour after stating “Free Palestine” during his opening set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey Sept. 4. The pop star explained in a statement that the decision to drop Macklemore was not his, and that several venues had threatened to no longer host his tour if the rapper remained on the bill. The remaining opening acts as well as Sheeran’s band dropped out of the trek in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran subsequently addressed the controversy during a Philadelphia concert, describing the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable.”
Macklemore announced this new tour shortly after his departure from Sheeran’s trek, saying he wanted to use the newly available dates to bring together artists willing to publicly support Palestinian causes. According to the tour announcement, proceeds from the shows will benefit a dozen organizations supporting Palestinians, including Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
“Dublin, Paris and London, thank you for showing up the way you did,” he added in his Wednesday post. “The response to these shows is another reminder of how many people across the world are standing together for a free Palestine.”
Read the full message from Macklemore below.
This article was first published by Billboard U.S.
- Robert Kraft Responds to Macklemore’s Challenge to Match $1 Million Donation to Palestinian Groups ›
- Ed Sheeran Says Decision to Drop Macklemore From Tour ‘Was Not Mine’: ‘I Have Spent This Week Trying to Build Bridges’ ›
- Ed Sheeran Has No Tour Openers Left After Finneas & Lukas Graham Drop Out Over Macklemore ‘Free Palestine’ Controversy ›
- Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour Over His ‘Free Palestine’ Comments ›
- bbno$ Wants to ‘Throw a Massive Charity Concert’ to Raise Money for Palestine ›
- Robert Kraft Calls Macklemore’s ‘Free Palestine’ Statements ‘Deeply Offensive’: ‘A Line Had Been Crossed’ ›
- Macklemore Announces Free Palestine Tour: 'Being Apolitical During a Genocide Doesn't Work Anymore' ›
- bbno$ Is Throwing 'The Internet For Palestine' Benefit Concert in Los Angeles with Smosh, Mxmtoon and More | Billboard Canada ›
- bbno$ organise « The Internet for Palestine », un concert-bénéfice à Los Angeles avec Smosh, Mxmtoon et d’autres artistes | Billboard Canada ›
