Macklemore Opens Three-City Benefit with Sold-Out Dublin Crowd

Macklemore launched his Free Palestine Tour on Monday night at the 3Arena in Dublin. The sold-out concert served as the opening event for a three-part benefit series. Organizers kept the lineup secret until the doors opened. The bill included Hozier, the Irish group Kneecap, and Palestinian-American DJ Habibeats. Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul and rapper M1 of Dead Prez also performed. Boega, the backing band that left Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour in solidarity with Macklemore, joined the set as well.

The tour continues on October 29 at the Accor Arena in Paris. It concludes on October 30 at the OVO Arena Wembley in London. All three venues have sold out. All proceeds from the concerts will go to organizations supporting Palestine. A press release stated that these groups provide medical supplies, food, and humanitarian assistance. It also noted that they support education, community programs, and advocacy for policy change.

The Dublin show featured speakers who addressed the audience before and during the performance. Irish actor Liam Cunningham told the crowd that enjoying the music does not mean ignoring the crisis in Gaza. He said the event was about celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought to protect. Activist and psychotherapist Nadia Greenspan and artist Samir Eskanda also spoke as special guests.

Macklemore’s new tour comes weeks after he was removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour. The split happened after Macklemore shared pro-Palestine messages during his opening sets on the U.S. leg. Sheeran’s promoter, Messina Touring Group, announced that venues threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup. The promoter stated that this would impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions, it was decided that Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates.

Ed Sheeran later addressed the situation onstage during his own tour. He said he did not want to disappoint fans or be an activist musician. He described the situation as placing him in the middle of a passionate argument about freedom of speech. Sheeran noted that his concerts have always been a safe space for everyone. He said he was worried about venues pre-approving content for performances. He added that this should never happen in the free world.

When Macklemore announced the Free Palestine Tour on Instagram, he reflected on the past three years. He wrote that there has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation. He noted that being apolitical during a genocide no longer works in 2026. He said people are asking artists to show up and educate themselves. He urged artists to use the stage for more than just entertainment. He called for pushing back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.