Ed Sheeran welcomed former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade as a guest performer during his Atlanta concert, marking the first time another artist has opened for him since his remaining support acts withdrew from the tour.
Slade, 45, performed at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday before Sheeran’s headline set.
His performance included some of The Fray’s best-known songs, including “How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me”.
The appearance came after Sheeran performed three consecutive shows without any opening acts or special guests amid controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from the tour.
Slade addresses Gaza conflict
During his Atlanta performance, Slade also addressed the war in Gaza and called for people to seek common ground.
“What’s happening over there is wrong, but if we’re going to get through it, we’re going to need people to step into that middle place, that common ground,” he told the audience.
Ed Sheeran enlists The Fray’s ex-frontman Isaac Slade as surprise guest act after openers ditch tour over Macklemore fiasco https://t.co/3XyNG9sSqv https://t.co/DwI2rZPCbs
— New York Post (@nypost) October 4, 2026
Slade said peace should not be understood simply as an absence of conflict, arguing that people must find a way to acknowledge suffering and opposing perspectives.
“We will find a way through this together,” he added.
Slade left The Fray in 2022. He had previously appeared alongside Sheeran during a concert in Toronto in August, before the controversy involving Macklemore erupted.
Support acts withdrew from tour
Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s Loop Tour after making pro-Palestinian remarks while performing at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in September.
The rapper told the audience that people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank had not been forgotten and repeatedly declared: “Free Palestine.”
Promoter Messina Touring Group later said several venues had refused to host forthcoming concerts with Macklemore on the line-up.
Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft confirmed that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at the Massachusetts venue, citing the rapper’s recent conduct and what he described as a history of offensive rhetoric and imagery.
Following Macklemore’s removal, Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe withdrew from their scheduled appearances in solidarity with him. Irish band Beoga, which had been performing as Sheeran’s touring band, also left the tour.
Sheeran says decision was not his
Sheeran has insisted that removing Macklemore was the promoter’s decision rather than his own.
The British singer said he had attempted to find a solution but would not cancel the tour and disappoint fans or leave members of his touring crew without work.
Sheeran also rejected suggestions that he was complicit in silencing Macklemore, while acknowledging the suffering caused by the conflict.
During an earlier concert, he described the Hamas-led October 7 attack in Israel as horrific and said events in Gaza were “catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate”.
Controversy spreads across music industry
The dispute has fuelled a wider debate over whether musicians should use major concerts to address political and humanitarian issues.
Country singer Zach Bryan added to the discussion by wearing a “Free Palestine” shirt during a performance at Kraft’s Gillette Stadium. His guitarist, Noah Le Gros, appeared in a Palestinian football shirt.
Macklemore has since announced his own “Free Palestine” tour, with shows in London, Paris and Dublin.
The rapper said proceeds from the concerts would support organisations assisting Palestinians. All three shows reportedly sold out shortly after tickets went on sale.
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