Ed Sheeran returned to the stage in Philadelphia on September 19. The singer resumed his Loop Tour after a difficult week involving Macklemore and several members of his touring team.
Sheeran performed at Lincoln Financial Field. Before starting the concert, he addressed the controversy surrounding his tour.
The “Thinking Out Loud” singer also spoke about the Israel-Palestine conflict. He explained his position and called for unity at his shows.
Acknowledging his concert’s controversy
Sheeran appeared to read from a teleprompter as he opened his speech.
“This is not usually how I open a show,” he told the crowd. He then said he wanted to address the events of the previous week.
Sheeran said he was familiar with criticism of his music. However, he acknowledged that the latest criticism involved a much more important issue.
The singer said he had to make difficult decisions. He also admitted that he had made mistakes and apologized.
Sheeran described his concerts as a safe space for everyone. He also expressed concern about venues pre-approving performers’ content.
“This happens in so many places I perform around the world,” Sheeran said. “But it should never happen in the free world.”
He added that he never wanted to disappoint his fans. Sheeran also said he had never intended to become an activist musician.
However, the controversy placed him in the middle of a wider debate. He described that debate as one involving freedom of speech and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Where he stands
He then addressed the situation between Israelis and Palestinians, explaining where he stood on the issue and saying he wanted his “music and shows to be about unity, not division, about humanity, not politics.”
“What happened in Israel and at the Nova Music Festival on October 7th was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is a catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.”
The singer also said he was heartbroken by the “loss of civilians’ lives, of children’s lives,” adding that “the systemic justice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”
In the end, Sheeran said his concerts remain a place for everyone, even those with opposing views.
“And these songs are about love, hope and unity,” he concluded.
Introducing his new band
The 35-year-old singer-songwriter also introduced a new backing band that will accompany him following the withdrawal of his original band, Beoga, in solidarity with Macklemore’s cause.
According to Sheeran, he contacted his longtime collaborator, violinist Alicia Enstrom, and asked if she would be willing to perform with him, while cautioning her that joining him at the moment might not be a good idea.
He then asked if she knew any musicians who could join them for the tour, to which Enstrom agreed to recruit a new group.
The new band, composed of Mike on drums, CJ on keys, Eric on bass, Clay on guitar and Enstrom on violin, had only three days to learn the setlist before performing with Sheeran for the first time at his Philadelphia show.
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