Macklemore Launches Tour in Dublin
The rapper opened his 'Free Palestine' tour at Dublin's 3Arena, drawing a crowd of 13,000 after his split with Ed Sheeran.
By Aaron Foster ·
Macklemore began his 'Free Palestine' concert tour in Dublin on Monday. The Grammy-winning performer addressed the audience at the 3Arena, where he pledged to keep speaking against Israel's war in Gaza. This tour followed his removal as the opening act for Ed Sheeran's US tour, a decision prompted by Macklemore's pro-Palestinian comments.
The venue hosted 13,000 attendees who purchased their tickets within minutes of them becoming available. Outside the arena, vendors sold keffiyeh scarves and black, red, and green football jerseys. Inside, fans displayed Palestinian flags and chanted 'Free Palestine' throughout the set. Macklemore waved a Palestinian flag for much of the performance.
During the show, Macklemore referenced the incident that ended his partnership with Sheeran. He noted that 'two words' led to his removal from the tour at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. 'Those two words are so threatening to some people that we'd rather silence those two words than confront what they actually mean,' he said. He added that the phrase has become 'more controversial than the suffering that made them necessary.'
The concert featured a lineup of Irish and Palestinian artists. Hozier, the group Kneecap, and the band Beoga performed as support acts. Beoga had previously quit Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Palestinian singer Lina Makhoul and DJ Habibeats also played. Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham spoke between sets.
Siobhan Lyons, a Dublin resident who attended with her daughter, described Macklemore as a necessary voice. 'We need a speaker for our time. It has to be somebody like that who can reach out to people,' Lyons said. She stated that the performance left her feeling 'like I want to be part of something.'
Ed Sheeran, one of the world's top-selling recording artists, previously stated that stadium owners threatened to block further shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. Palestinian authorities report that more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza. Israeli officials deny the actions in Gaza amount to genocide. The attack began after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The tour is scheduled to visit Paris and London this week. Macklemore has indicated that US dates will be announced later.
