Macklemore Starts Three City Benefit Run

Macklemore began his Free Palestine Tour in Dublin on Monday night.

The sold-out show at the 3Arena marked the first of three benefit concerts planned for the series.

Organizers withheld the lineup until the day of the event. The bill featured Hozier, the Irish rap trio Kneecap, Palestinian American DJ Habibeats, singer Lina Makoul, and rapper M1 of Dead Prez.

Boega, the backing band that left Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour in solidarity with Macklemore, also performed.

Special guest speakers included actor Liam Cunningham, psychotherapist Nadia Greenspan, and artist Samir Eskanda.

Cunningham addressed the audience about the balance between entertainment and awareness. "Enjoying tonight does not mean forgetting about the suffering in Gaza," he said. "It means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought so hard to protect."

All proceeds from the three shows will go to organizations supporting Palestine and the Palestinian movement.

A press release described the beneficiaries as a range of groups providing medical supplies, food, and humanitarian aid. It also cited organizations working on education, community support, advocacy, and policy change.

The release stated that the series centers on Palestinian families, children, healthcare workers, students, artists, and communities affected by the conflict in Gaza.

Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's tour last month after he shared pro Palestine messages during his opening sets.

Messina Touring Group, the promoter for the Loop Tour, issued a statement explaining the decision. Venues notified the promoter that they would not host the tour with Macklemore on the lineup. The group said this would have resulted in cancellation for hundreds of thousands of fans.

Sheeran addressed the controversy in a subsequent performance. He stated that he did not want to disappoint fans or become an activist musician, but the situation placed him in the middle of a debate on freedom of speech. He emphasized his commitment to keeping concerts a safe space for everyone. Sheeran also expressed concern that venues pre approve content for performance, a practice he said should not happen in the free world.