Ed Sheeran's Gillette Stadium Weekend Shows Cancelled Over Severe Weather

Ed Sheeran's two weekend concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, have been cancelled because of severe weather warnings across Boston and New England, the venue said on Friday.

The shows, scheduled for September 25 and 26, were called off after forecasts indicated a nor'easter would bring heavy rain and strong winds to the East Coast.

Tour promoter Messina Touring said the decision followed consultations with local officials and was taken with the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority. In a statement, the promoter described the cancellation as difficult.

The venue is owned by Robert Kraft. The cancellations come amid continuing controversy over the singer's tour and Kraft's alleged role in having rapper Macklemore dropped from its US dates after Macklemore voiced support for Palestine on stage.

Macklemore had been set to open for Sheeran at the Gillette Stadium shows before his removal. Kraft had previously said Macklemore would not perform at the September 25 and 26 concerts, stating that the stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and to ensuring events held there do not provide a platform for hate speech.

After Macklemore's removal, Sheeran addressed the matter during his September 19 show. He said he did not want to disappoint fans and had never wanted to be an activist musician, but that the situation had placed him in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet. He added that his concerts have always been a safe space for everyone and that honouring his commitment to fans was essential to who he is.

Sheeran also became emotional during his concert at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, saying he felt abandoned by friends, family and people he had known for years. Reflecting on what he called a weird week, he told the audience that people had urged him to cancel the tour and that several people close to him had backed away.

He said the continued ticket sales for the Philadelphia show gave him a different perspective, describing the concert as the best show of his life while calling the preceding week one of the worst he had experienced. He later grew emotional while describing the love he felt from the crowd, saying he had initially worried about his safety and whether he would be booed. He remarked that the world and America are scary places right now, and pointed to the audience as a source of hope.

The appearance followed the departure of all of Sheeran's opening acts, including his backing band, in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran also said he had altered the concert setup because of safety concerns, removing the B stage over fears about standing in the middle of the audience area.