Ed Sheeran’s Tour Faces New Trouble That Has Nothing To Do With Macklemore

Ed Sheeran's tour faces another setback as stormy weather disrupts the Gillette Stadium stage build ahead of two weekend concerts. The Ed Sheeran’s Tour Faces New Trouble That Has Nothing To Do With Macklemore first appeared on The Blast

Just as the conversation around Ed Sheeran’s Gillette Stadium concerts seemed to be moving past the controversy over Macklemore’s removal as an opening act, a completely different problem emerged behind the scenes. 

With thousands of fans expected to descend on Foxborough for the singer’s scheduled performances, attention has shifted from politics to the weather, as a looming storm threatens preparations for one of the biggest tour stops of the weekend.

Ed Sheeran’s Gillette Stadium Shows Face Weather Threat

While fans have spent days discussing the fallout from Macklemore’s exit, production crews have been dealing with a challenge that could have a much more immediate impact on whether Ed Sheeran takes the stage at all.

According to TMZ, severe weather moving through the Northeast has disrupted construction of the elaborate stage setup planned for Sheeran’s Friday and Saturday shows at Gillette Stadium. 

Sources told the outlet that worsening conditions had already affected work on the structure, forcing crews to pause parts of the build as they monitored the forecast.

One production source said crews assembled portions of the stage earlier on Thursday before workers were instructed to stop further construction. 

Sheeran’s Weekend Concert Plans Remain Up In The Air As Crews Await Final Decision

Behind the scenes, executives were reportedly weighing their options as forecasts pointed to a mix of heavy rain and strong winds that could make an outdoor performance difficult and potentially damage stage equipment.

Despite the uncertainty, preparations had not completely stopped. A separate venue source told TMZ that nearly every major component of the production was ready for Friday’s show, with lighting remaining the primary element still being tested. 

Workers were reportedly conducting lighting checks Thursday evening while awaiting further decisions. As of Thursday night, no official determination had been made regarding either concert. 

Organizers had not announced whether the performances would proceed as planned, be postponed, or be canceled if the weather conditions continue to worsen. 

Ed Sheeran Says He Nearly Walked Away From Music Amid Tour Crisis

The uncertainty surrounding Sheeran’s tour has played out in more ways than one.

By the time he stepped onto the stage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on September 19, the singer revealed he had spent days questioning whether he even wanted to continue.

Addressing the crowd directly, Sheeran delivered an emotional speech about the fallout surrounding the tour and the people who had distanced themselves from him during the controversy.

“I really didn’t know whether this tour would be carrying on. I really didn’t know whether I’d even be getting on stage again, whether I even wanted to be an artist at all,” he told fans. 

The Grammy winner went on to explain just how isolated he had felt as the situation escalated.

“In these situations, you really find out who your friends are, and it’s been a weird week. I just feel like it happened very quickly,” Sheeran said.

He added, “And the whole time, I had so many people telling me to cancel this tour, and so many people coming out of my life that I’ve known for years and years and years just kind of backing away.” 

He also apologized to fans for how events unfolded. “I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions and I am making mistakes and I’m so, so sorry,” he said from the stage. 

More From The Blast

• Ed Sheeran’s music was pulled from an Irish radio station as the tour controversy intensified.
• Sheeran’s cousin Jethro publicly called him a “coward” amid the fallout.
• A Guitar Center competition to open for Sheeran ran into unexpected problems amid the controversy.
• Sheeran had quietly made a $2 million humanitarian move before Macklemore’s public challenge.
• Sheeran also faced calls for a boycott ahead of his Philadelphia show.

Sheeran’s Support Acts And Band Walked Away In Solidarity

As Ed Sheeran opened up about losing people in his personal life, the impact on the tour itself had already become impossible to ignore.

As The Blast reported, after Macklemore’s removal from the tour, a string of artists announced they would no longer participate in upcoming dates. 

Among those who stepped away were Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and members of Sheeran’s longtime backing band. The departures dramatically altered the Loop Tour’s lineup and left Sheeran scrambling to rebuild parts of the production. 

In a lengthy statement explaining his decision, Rowe emphasized that his relationship with Sheeran remained intact, writing, “I don’t take the decision lightly. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this.” 

However, the Irish musician said he could not continue with the tour under the circumstances. “I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide,” he revealed.

Ed Sheeran Loses Hundreds Of Thousands Of Followers

The fallout from the departures did not stay confined to the tour lineup. As news of the exits spread across social media, Sheeran also began seeing a noticeable shift in his online following.

According to The Blast, the star lost nearly 150,000 Instagram followers in just 24 hours as backlash intensified around the tour controversy. 

The decline continued in the days that followed, with Sheeran’s Instagram audience dropping from roughly 47.6 million followers to 47.2 million, a loss of nearly 500,000 followers overall. 

At the same time, Macklemore, Finneas, Graham, Rowe, and Beoga experienced the opposite, collectively gaining about 1.6 million during the same period.

The Ed Sheeran’s Tour Faces New Trouble That Has Nothing To Do With Macklemore first appeared on The Blast