Following the departure of all of Ed Sheeran’s opening acts in solidarity with Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour after voicing support for Palestine, former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade has stepped in as the new main support act.
Slade first appeared as a surprise opener for Sheeran last weekend in Atlanta and has since confirmed that he’ll be joining the tour for upcoming dates in Indianapolis, Charlotte, Arlington, and Tampa.
During his set in Atlanta, Slade briefly addressed Macklemore’s removal from the tour, the controversy surrounding Sheeran, and the need to find “common ground.”
“Two people I deeply respect have found themselves on opposite sides of the field. I respect and admire More for raising his voice for the innocent lives that are being lost right now as we speak. I respect Ed for making this place and welcoming for all of us, regardless of what we believe in,” Slade said.
“Everybody seems to be taking sides on this one, and that’s good. What’s happening over there is not right. But if we’re gonna get through this, we also need people who are brave enough to step out into the middle place—that common ground, that bonfire in the middle of the field that sees both sides. That understands that peace is not the lack of conflict. Peace is not a blank canvas that we need to guard and be polite,” he continued.
“Peace is a messy, messy painting that holds enough tragedy, and enough sorrow, and enough joy and life that if we learn how.”
Macklemore was removed as a support act from Sheeran’s North American “LOOP” tour last month after several stadium operators, led by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, objected to the Seattle rapper’s on-stage remarks in support of Palestine and threatened to block him from performing if he remained on the bill. In response to Macklemore’s removal, Sheeran’s other announced openers — FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe — along with his live backing band Beoga, withdrew from the tour.
