Ed Sheeran adds Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser as Loop tour openers after Macklemore row
Ed Sheeran has new opening acts for the remaining US dates of his Loop tour, after Macklemore was removed over remarks about Gaza and the other support acts quit.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Former The Fray singer Isaac Slade and American Idol season 24 contestant Brooks Rosser have joined Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour as opening acts. Evening StandardN “Former The Fray star Isaac Slade and American Idol contestant Brooks Rosser have joined Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “Ed Sheeran has added two musicians to serve as the opening acts for the remaining dates on his Loop Tour.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Slade shared on Instagram that he will play Indianapolis on October 10, Charlotte on October 17, Arlington on October 24 and Tampa on November 7. Rosser will open the Indianapolis show at Lucas Oil Stadium, his first show since American Idol. Evening StandardN “Slade, who was previously the lead singer of rock band The Fray, has joined the tour as a support act for Sheeran’s dates in Indianapolis on October 10, Charlotte on October 17, Arlington on October 24 and Tampa on November 7.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “Rosser will join Sheeran at the Indianapolis show.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Slade had already opened the Atlanta show on October 3, after Sheeran played Philadelphia without any support acts. The Daily Mail says Slade also joined Sheeran on stage in Toronto in late August. Daily MailR “Last weekend, Sheeran added The Fray‘s former lead singer Isaac Slade as an opener for his Atlanta show, after performing in Philadelphia without any supporting acts.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Evening StandardN “He also performed at Sheeran’s show in Atlanta on October 3.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2Sheeran had lost his openers after Macklemore was dropped from the tour over comments about Gaza made at two New Jersey shows in September. Aaron Rowe, Finneas, Lukas Graham and the band Beoga then left the remaining dates. Evening StandardN “Shortly after, Sheeran’s other supporting acts, including Irish singer Aaron Rowe, musician Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother, and Danish singer Lukas Graham, as well as his backing band Beoga, dropped out of the remaining dates.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “was left without any opening acts after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the tour over his pro-Palestine remarks on stage at two New Jersey shows.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The Daily Mail says the other acts quit in protest and in solidarity with Macklemore, who gave a 'Free Palestine' speech and performed his song Hind's Hall. The Evening Standard says he told an audience that people in Gaza and the West Bank had not been forgotten. Daily MailR “Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, as well as his backing band Beoga all left in solidarity with Macklemore” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Evening StandardN “he told an audience he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten amid the conflict with Israel.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2A petition demanded Macklemore's removal, and Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium, told Sheeran the venue would not be available unless Macklemore was dropped. The Daily Mail describes Kraft's stance as allegedly a threat, and says the Gillette shows were cancelled anyway because of weather. Sheeran said the removal was the promoter's decision, not his. Evening StandardN “A petition was launched demanding he be removed from Sheeran’s remaining shows and Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, was among those who contacted the British singer”“Sheeran said it was the promoter’s decision to remove the rapper from the tour and not his.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “The shows at Gillette Stadium, one of multiple venues owned by Kraft, were eventually canceled due to weather concerns anyway.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2At his first show after the row, in Philadelphia on September 19, Sheeran apologised for 'making mistakes'. The Standard says he called the conflict in Gaza 'catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate'. The Daily Mail says he spoke of worry over freedom of speech and of wanting his music to be a 'safe space for everybody'. Evening StandardN “he apologised for making “mistakes” amid the furore and described the conflict in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate”.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “He said he 'always' intended for his music to create a 'safe space for everybody.'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1In his Atlanta set Slade told the crowd that 'Everybody seems to be taking sides in this world' and called for people to find common ground, according to the Daily Mail. Daily MailR “The musician told the crowd: 'Everybody seems to be taking sides in this world and that's good.'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2There are no openers for the two casino shows in Hollywood, Florida on October 29 and 30. According to the Standard, no support acts have been announced for the remaining dates in Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. The tour ends in Mexico City on December 11. Daily MailR “Sheeran will also be performing in Hollywood, Florida on October 29 and October 30, without any openers, as they are casino shows.”“concluding his world tour in Mexico City on December 11.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Evening StandardN “No supporting acts have been announced for these shows.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2Macklemore has announced a three-date 'Free Palestine' tour, which he said sold out immediately: Dublin's 3Arena on October 26, Paris's Accor Arena on October 29 and London's Wembley Arena on October 30. The Standard says proceeds will go to organisations supporting Palestinian people. Evening StandardN “His tour will kick off in Dublin’s 3Arena on October 26 followed by a show at Paris’ Accor Arena on October 29 and wrap up at London’s Wembley Arena on October 30.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “'All three shows sold out immediately,' Macklemore revealed on Instagram last month.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- A short factual report on the new openers, with the Macklemore dispute as background.
- Emphasis
- Tour dates, the chain of departures, Kraft's contact, Sheeran's apology and his comment that the promoter made the decision, and Macklemore's sold-out tour.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote Slade's remarks on stage or mention the casino shows without openers.
- For example
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“Sheeran lost his opening acts after US rapper Macklemore was dropped from the tour over comments he made about Gaza.” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the new openers as the latest development in a 'massive controversy' over Macklemore's pro-Palestine remarks.
- Emphasis
- Drama and quotes: Slade's call for common ground, Sheeran's tearful apology and free-speech worries, Kraft's alleged threats, and Macklemore's sold-out tour; ends with a reader poll on artists risking gigs for political speech.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report Sheeran's statement that the promoter made the decision to remove Macklemore, or his description of the Gaza conflict.
- Charged language
- “explosive Macklemore pro-Palestine drama”“massive controversy”“kicking Macklemore off”
- For example
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“Ed Sheeran announces new opening acts for his Loop tour after all other artists dropped out over explosive Macklemore pro-Palestine drama” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Isaac Slade and Brooks Rosser are the new Loop tour openers.
- Macklemore was dropped from the tour over his comments about Gaza, and Sheeran's other support acts then left.
- Slade will play Indianapolis, Charlotte, Arlington and Tampa; Rosser opens in Indianapolis on October 10.
- Sheeran apologised for 'mistakes' at his first show after the row.
- Macklemore announced a sold-out 'Free Palestine' tour.
Where accounts differ
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Why the other acts left and how Macklemore's removal happened
- Centre
- The Standard says the other acts dropped out after Macklemore was dropped, and that Sheeran said the promoter, not he, removed Macklemore.
- Right
- The Daily Mail says Sheeran 'kick[ed] Macklemore off' the lineup, that the other acts left in protest or solidarity, and that Kraft 'allegedly threatened' to cancel shows.
Ed Sheeran person
Sheeran apologised for 'mistakes', said he wants his music to be a safe space, and said the promoter, not he, removed Macklemore. He said he was committed to his fans and worried about free speech.
“Sheeran said it was the promoter’s decision to remove the rapper from the tour and not his.” — Evening Standard
“Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am.” — Daily Mail
Macklemore person
Macklemore says he wants musicians to stand in solidarity with Palestine. He announced a Free Palestine tour that he said sold out immediately, with proceeds going to Palestinian causes.
“believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like.” — Daily Mail
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour gets new opening acts after Macklemore controversy
Neutral Concise news report of the new openers with sourced background on the row.
Right1 article
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Mixed Dramatic, detail-heavy account that frames the new openers within a 'massive controversy'.
- 9 Oct 04:45 First Daily MailR Ed Sheeran announces new opening acts for his Loop tour after all other artists dropped out over explosive Macklemore pro-Palestine drama
- 9 Oct 09:45 +5h Evening StandardN Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour gets new opening acts after Macklemore controversy
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.