Macklemore says nine US arenas turned down his Free Palestine Tour

Macklemore said in an Instagram statement on 6 November that nine US arenas refused to host his Free Palestine Tour, a run of benefit shows. According to the rapper, by mid-September his team had been offered available dates through the end of the year, but those dates were withdrawn once the venues learned the shows were benefits for Palestine.

The arenas he named are Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center and UBS Arena in New York, Prudential Center in New Jersey, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Chase Center in San Francisco and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, his hometown. According to NME, Madison Square Garden has responded to the allegations. Macklemore wrote that he had never experienced anything like it in over twenty years of touring, and that he would rather lose every opportunity in the industry than stay silent.

The tour began in October after the rapper was removed as an opener on Ed Sheeran's US tour at the request of stadium owners. According to Rolling Stone, the shows in Paris, Dublin and London sold out, with acts such as Hozier and Kneecap taking part, and proceeds went to organisations supporting Palestinians in Gaza. In September, Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft said events at his venue should not provide a platform for hate speech.

Macklemore, born in Seattle in 1983, released the album “Ben” in 2023. In October mbuzz reported that he called for a “free Palestine” at his first show since being removed from Sheeran's tour.