Macklemore Kicks Off Three-City Benefit Series in Dublin
The sold-out Dublin show precedes dates in Paris and London, with proceeds supporting humanitarian groups in Palestine.
By Fatou Mitchell ·
Macklemore launched his new benefit tour on Monday night at Dublin’s 3Arena, marking a return to the stage after his removal from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour. The event drew a sold-out crowd and featured a lineup of artists who joined him in solidarity with his pro-Palestine stance. The concert series is designed to raise funds for organizations providing aid to Palestine.
The decision to hold the tour followed a dispute earlier this month over Macklemore’s speeches during his opening sets for Sheeran. Sheeran’s promoter, Messina Touring Group, announced that Macklemore would no longer perform on remaining support dates. The group stated that venues hosting the U.S. tour threatened to cancel the shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. This move would have impacted hundreds of thousands of fans.
The Dublin show served as the first of three scheduled performances. The next stop is Paris’ Accor Arena on Oct. 29. The final show of the series will take place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Oct. 30. Organizers kept the lineup secret until the day of the first concert, a choice that added to the event's profile.
Alongside Macklemore, the Dublin bill included Hozier, Kneecap, and Boega. Boega is the backing band that dropped out of Sheeran’s tour in support of Macklemore. The performance also featured Palestinian-American DJ and producer DJ Habibeats, Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul, and rapper M1 of Dead Prez. Special guest speakers included Irish actor Liam Cunningham, activist Nadia Greenspan, and organizer Samir Eskanda.
Liam Cunningham addressed the audience directly from the stage. He noted that enjoying the music did not mean ignoring the situation in Gaza. “It means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought so hard to protect,” Cunningham said. His remarks framed the evening as both a celebration and a political statement.
All proceeds from the three concerts will go to organizations supporting the Palestinian movement. A press release described these groups as providing essential medical supplies, food, and humanitarian assistance. It also noted their work in education, community support, and advocacy for policy change. The release emphasized that the concert series centers on the families, children, and healthcare workers in Gaza.
Macklemore outlined the tour's goals in an Instagram post. He argued that the past three years have seen a shift in how artists engage with current events. “Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” he wrote. He said people now expect artists to use their platforms to educate audiences and show up for community needs.
The tour follows a period of intense public debate about the role of politics in live music. Sheeran addressed the controversy on his own stage, saying he did not want to disappoint fans. He expressed concern that venues might pre-approve the content of performances. “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world,” Sheeran said.
