00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Wednesday, September 16th. Macklemore got booted. Everybody else has now left the Ed Sheeran tour voluntarily. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I got this right. There is no opening act left.
00:00:19
Speaker 2: There is no one left. He started with five, and now there are none. All four opening acts quit Ed Sheeran in solidarity with Macklemore, and they didn't go quietly. Huh. Each one of these artists put out a very well thought out statement as to why they were leaving. And think about it. These acts, I mean, look, we're talking about Phineas, Billie Eilish's brother. A lot of people would say the creative mind behind many of some of your favorite songs that you listen to each and every day. For him to withdraw is a huge deal. But then Lucas Graham, we love Lucas Graham. Seven years, Mama Said, Love Someone. He backed out. Irish singer Aaron Rowe announced he was dropping out. And Sheeran's own house band, Bayoga, also announced it was leaving the tour. Some of these groups, this was the opportunity of their lives. The most exposure they were going to ever get. Stadiums they would never otherwise be able to sing or perform in. And the money, the opportunity, the exposure for them to all give that up speaks volumes.
00:01:30
Speaker 1: Volumes. And Robes, you said that's good. They didn't go quietly, but they all went thoughtfully, Robes, in such a way that felt personal and not political. And I know you're going to share the statements, but what's the name, Bioga? Yes.
00:01:45
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:01:46
Speaker 1: So if folks don't understand, we actually did, I just want to explain part of, it's called the loop tour for a reason, because Ed Sheeran gets up there by himself with one guitar for damn near three hours and and essentially creates the live sound. He doesn't use a band, essentially. If you haven't seen, it is really phenomenal. Justin Bieber can do it. It's impressive. But he creates the sounds for the song live right there in front of you, and then loops them in such a way, and then performs the whole song where it sounds like there's a whole band up there and it's just him. It's phenomenal. But Robes, during his three-hour set when we saw him at MetLife, he brought out this Irish band we're talking about, and Robes, he was gushing about them over and over and over to the point of annoyance. He kept telling us all where we could see them perform locally. So what I'm saying is, Edge, this is a big deal, in my opinion, to hear that they dropped out because I saw, we saw them so excited and getting so much love from this international star, and they're stepping away.
00:02:46
Speaker 2: And they're stepping away. This is not a small... decision. This is not an easy thing for any of these artists to do. So I guess that is just the backdrop to this huge headline. But individually, all of these artists are giving up a ton to make this point. And then we also, by the way, I heard from Ed Sheeran, we'll give you his statement. It was lengthy.
00:03:12
Speaker 1: And questionable. And maybe parts confusing and unadvised. And look, we have said plenty. We are huge fans of this guy. And a lot of Ropes, he just doesn't step in this stuff. Controversy is not his thing.
00:03:24
Speaker 2: But by not stepping in it, he's kind of stepped in it.
00:03:28
Speaker 1: Oh, I agree with you 100%.
00:03:28
Speaker 2: 100%. What do they say? If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything. And people lose respect. And that's part of what seems to be happening right now. It's one thing.
00:03:40
Speaker 1: You make a good point. It'll be clear. It's one thing, right, not to say anything, but to say something and that something be I don't want to say anything. That is a difficult, you're declaring yourself neutral. Just don't say anything. That's fine. Yeah, Robes, this is, yeah, we had trouble with this statement.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: It was tough.
00:04:04
Speaker 1: It was tough.
00:04:04
Speaker 2: We'll begin with Phineas's statement. Look, this is somebody, and he actually was short and sweet. Sometimes I feel like that packs more of a punch because some of these lengthy ones, it loses steam. It's a reminder. When you want someone to remember what you said, keep it short. And Phineas really did that. He has 4.7 million followers. So he has a lot of folks who are listening to him. And by the way, Phineas and his sister, Billie Eilish, remember they joined celebrities last year. I forgot about this for a benefit concert to support relief efforts. called Together for Palestine. So he has already been outspoken about this issue. And so he wrote this on his Instagram yesterday. Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people. Boom.
00:04:59
Speaker 1: Nothing more to be said. And Heathrow, that's a multiple Grammy winner, is he not?
00:05:04
Speaker 2: Yes, yes. And more to come, I'm sure, because those two are on fire. Their music is phenomenal. So yeah, and people have already responded. I've seen a lot of people commenting. They were excited. He was doing the South American part of the tour. So people in Brazil, a lot of people were understanding. They said, we have been waiting. We bought tickets actually just to see you, but we respect where you are. We respect that you spoke out. So I thought it was interesting. Yes, a lot of disappointed fans out there.
00:05:31
Speaker 1: What is their recourse, Robes? They're not getting the show they paid for.
00:05:35
Speaker 2: I know. And that's unclear right now. Unclear. Lucas Graham, who, again, we love, listen to his music all the time. He wrote this. burying the people they love. We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up wherever they live, whatever flag flies over them. I grew up in Christiana, a small community in Denmark, where speaking your mind was part of everyday life. Having more money didn't make your opinion worth more than anyone else's. Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody's bake balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge. I love Ed, and I'm grateful for everything we've shared. That hasn't changed. But I can't put these words out in the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We're withdrawing from the remaining dates. I'm sorry we won't be there. This is a difficult decision, but it's one I need to stand by.
00:06:37
Speaker 1: Robes, that was well done.
00:06:39
Speaker 2: Well done.
00:06:41
Speaker 1: But they're making good points, Rob, without getting into a lot of politics. They're saying with a lot of people, why can you not sympathize? You're not anti-Semitic. You're not criticizing one side just by saying you don't want to see these children die either. There was a really good line in there about money deciding who gets the conversation.
00:07:03
Speaker 2: Yes, it said money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation anymore. Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge. That was a direct attack against Robert Kraft. No question. The billionaire who spoke out and said Gillette Stadium would not host Ed Sheeran if Macklemore was on board and reportedly got a bunch of other stadium owners to join in on his threatened boycott. Aaron Rowe, the Irish singer. This was also short and sweet, but packed a punch. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. I could never thank him enough for this. But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation.
00:07:52
Speaker 1: Bam. You talk about this all the time, babe. So much of what happens in the world and whatever case and big story on the news, you see it through your own experience. You just do. And some people, there are many people in the world who can view that conflict through their own experience, their upbringing, their countries. And then people see it differently and they should all be heard.
00:08:15
Speaker 2: We should really respect where some of these artists are coming from. And Sheeran's House Band, I wrote holy hell by this because.
00:08:24
Speaker 1: This You saved this one for last.
00:08:26
Speaker 2: Unreal. Bioga. Listen to what they had to say. We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran's band on the remaining U.S. Loop Tour following the silencing of Macklemore by Zionist lobbies. We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size, and that opportunity is not lost on us. We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people. As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams. But to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a free Palestine is simply not an option for us. It is important that everyone knows that the real enemy is the Zionist lobby. They have worked tirelessly to silence artists who want to speak freely about a genocide happening before our eyes for fear of retribution. Research how much Robert Kraft has done to fight the BDS movement. That will give you a sense of what we've all been up against. We were there for McLemore's performance and speech. We fully supported his message. so did most of the audience in MetLife Stadium, which terrifies the lobbies. Go back and read the transcript if you're in doubt. We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be. This whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue. Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire. Up the workers, free Palestine.
00:10:11
Speaker 1: That's coming from a different place. They took him on. But they're coming from, just like everybody else, right? They come from their sincere place of passion and care. Who's right? Everybody, a little bit. Who's wrong? Everybody, a little bit.
00:10:30
Speaker 2: That's the point. And the biggest, I think, what's at issue here, no one said anything directly against the Jewish people, but by not making... They didn't reference... They didn't reference, at least McLemore didn't reference Jewish occupation. Therefore, they also didn't reference Hamas. So it's tough because, and look, even the house band went after the pressure, the lobbies, not the Israeli state, but the lobbies that are putting pressure on organizations. It's fascinating information. This is about free speech.
00:11:13
Speaker 1: Robes, and we are talking about artists. I mean, there is a long history. I know athletes do it now and known for, and a lot of athletes have taken the stand over the years and historic moments. But, Robes, this is the core of musicians. They have a long history of speaking out, whether it's protest songs or support so hell even we are the world robes.
00:11:38
Speaker 2: Four dead in ohio like i can remember like anthems yes and on crosby stills nash and young.
00:11:44
Speaker 1: Taking on vietnam taking on robes this is what they're doing you're telling us we can't get on stage and speak that is.
00:11:52
Speaker 2: That is personal from head to toe that's personal for them All right. So that is what the four opening acts had to say as they all collectively abruptly withdrew from Ed Sheeran's concert. Now, when we come back, we will tell you what Ed Sheeran himself had to say. And it was a lot. Welcome back, everyone, to Amy and TJ. Yes, Ed Sheeran felt the need to respond after his entire opening act left his tour unclear what he's going to do in terms of how he's going to proceed with the concert itself. But he said this to his 47.4 million followers on Instagram. I'll be interested to see what people have to think about this. I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated. Macklemore asked to join my tour last year, and I agreed because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a set list of their choosing. After Macklemore's performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was supporting. I was informed that this dance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance rather than on everything that was said. I spoke to the venues at length all week.
00:13:30
Speaker 1: To try and build a bridge. I am so sorry, babe. You back that up for me. I'm sorry, baby. Help me here. Help me here. Go back to that explaining about why.
00:13:38
Speaker 2: I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance rather than on everything that was said.
00:13:48
Speaker 1: That's too cute, Ed.
00:13:50
Speaker 2: I gather that he's saying because he didn't bring up Hamas, because he didn't bring up the full context of the conflict.
00:13:58
Speaker 1: It's based on part of how it was. That's getting a little too cute with language, baby.
00:14:06
Speaker 2: Yeah. Oh, Ed.
00:14:08
Speaker 1: And we love some Ed Sheeran. We do.
00:14:11
Speaker 2: But Macklemore's also not a journalist. He's just speaking his mind. He isn't required. to double source and say both sides of the story. Like that's the part that like, okay, so if you didn't like that, you're not going to like what comes next. I spoke to the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge. One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find mutual resolution for all. But the venues and the promoters' decision was final. Macklemore's coming off the tour was the promoter's decision. It was not mine. Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.
00:14:57
Speaker 1: That next sentence better be very, very important because Robes, he's taking zero responsibility for Macklemore being off the tour. But he's not saying yet that he wanted him to stay. He hasn't, I've been in meaningful conversations about resolution. He's not saying, yeah, I was fighting to keep him on and fighting for his right to speak. That's not what Ed is saying.
00:15:23
Speaker 2: He's not saying that at all. No, Ed. He then goes on to say, I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living. I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together. And this won't ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome. I am not complicit. I have my personal views on the devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them. And it doesn't mean I don't care. Nor does it mean I don't support causes in my own personal way. There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics. My audience includes young people, often children of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect McLemore's strength, the purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end. Peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary to main diplomacy and and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change. I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution, and unfortunately was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.
00:17:10
Speaker 1: Ed.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: That sounds like I know my truth, but I'm not going to share it with you.
00:17:15
Speaker 1: Yeah. And he has every right to do that and to say that. It's just not what I would have advised. Maybe he's trying to get through it as safely and easily as possible. But that is the most words I have seen put into a statement that said nothing. That's a lot of words.
00:17:31
Speaker 2: He supported no one.
00:17:32
Speaker 1: To say nothing.
00:17:33
Speaker 2: And look, I understand.
00:17:35
Speaker 1: To apologize for nothing, to accept anything, to rate nothing.
00:17:38
Speaker 2: He's protecting his brand.
00:17:39
Speaker 1: And that's cool. That is okay. Because his brand, what does Ed Sheeran stand for? Nothing that I know of. Music's great. Seen him dancing in the streets of New Orleans. I can see those images. This is, that's okay. But just, that was a long statement, baby, where he felt like he had some explaining to do. But he gave us nothing.
00:17:59
Speaker 2: He explained nothing.
00:18:00
Speaker 1: Well, and that's, that's fine.
00:18:02
Speaker 2: Would it have been better had he not said anything at all? I feel like he needed to say something.
00:18:07
Speaker 1: I think maybe he should have waited until he got on stage again. Maybe he could have gotten on stage, not made light of it, but acknowledged it in a passionate way. We saw him talk on that stage in between songs plenty. And a lot of he spoke about passionately and it was off the cuff. I'm sure he could have come up with something because everybody's waiting now to hear him say something.
00:18:27
Speaker 2: What would have happened? Let me just be out there and say, what if he had said, I make no political statement about the conflict in Gaza, but I will make a statement about The suppression of free speech. And because of that, I am canceling the rest of my tour. I refuse to allow Macklemore to be removed. And I stand by my artist. And if that means we can't play, that means we can't play. So if you can't come to my concert, ask the local stadium why not.
00:19:04
Speaker 1: Then he's anti-Semitic. Because you're supporting a guy who yelled free Palestine. Because it won't be viewed as you supporting free speech. It will be viewed as you supporting him. That's what he would get. He's the big name. He's the big star. Everybody wants to make a zapper out of him. They want to attach his name to it all. So they're going to come after him. That's what's going to happen, babe.
00:19:26
Speaker 2: Wow. Well, he's gotten some reaction. I know Representative AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, She publicly yesterday said she is no longer going to listen to Ed Sheeran. She said she's boycotting him because he's complicit in Robert Kraft and other stadium owners' efforts to silence McLemore.
00:19:46
Speaker 1: Ms.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: Rachel, she's a big deal educator, YouTuber, big child influencer. She put out a pretty big statement saying, Ed Sheeran had an opportunity to show that we won't be bullied into punishing people for supporting Palestine. Instead, he caved to people who refuse to accept what the world knows. A genocide is happening in Gaza today. And we all need to speak out against it. And look, I mean, basically the UN has, you know, there's an absolute arrest warrant out for Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes. A lot of people are pointing to that. The fact that they absolutely, this has been declared a genocide by world organizations. And so, yes.
00:20:31
Speaker 1: Make sure you follow up that sentence though, babe. We're talking about the years and years of... death and destruction caused by Hamas. And I say that, not being sarcastic, like you really can't say one thing without immediately following it with the other, even though everything you said is factually correct. This is not just some random people deciding to declare what's happening in Gaza a certain thing. There are world organizations, you can disagree with them, but this is not just being made up by Michael.
00:20:59
Speaker 2: Hamas is a terrorist organization, no question. And so the question is, can you talk about the Palestinian people Without naming Israel and without naming Hamas? Or do you have to say the larger context?
00:21:17
Speaker 1: Clearly, this has been demonstrated. Yes, baby. You have to. Or you will be booted.
00:21:21
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:21:23
Speaker 1: Who knows what happens with the tour? It doesn't appear. Robes, I don't know. Nothing out there yet about refunds for these possible tickets. That's a lot of money. He does not want to cancel. But can everybody get your money back? Because... The show you were going to see is not the show you paid to go see. I don't know what we're expecting next, the next move. Oh, the next show. When is the next show?
00:21:44
Speaker 2: September 19th in Philadelphia.
00:21:47
Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, Lincoln. Lincoln Financial. As of right now, it's still on.
00:21:51
Speaker 2: Yes, it's still on. And then the next one is the one that caused all the hubbub, September 25th, the following weekend at Gillette Stadium, 25th and 26th. That's the Robert Kraft, You Can't Play in My Stadium stadium. But look, yes, I mean, this Saturday, sorry, yes, Saturday, Sheeran will go on without any other musical acts.
00:22:14
Speaker 1: You can't find a quick replacement, can you? Somebody locally that will come on.
00:22:18
Speaker 2: Maybe they'll find some, I don't know.
00:22:20
Speaker 1: But after all these artists dropped off, is somebody going to join that tour now?
00:22:24
Speaker 2: Because now they're anti-Palestinians.
00:22:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, or you're anti-First Amendment.
00:22:30
Speaker 2: Oof.
00:22:30
Speaker 1: This is just a mess. It's ugly. This was in the office in Atlanta. Somebody gave me rose. I found the quote I was talking about. Muhammad Ali, you lose nothing when fighting for a cause. In my mind, the losers are those who don't have a cause they care about. That's what Ed Sheeran is being viewed as in trying to convince everybody, no, no, no, no, I care. I can't tell you what I care about or how I care about it or how I contribute to it, but just trust me. And I do believe, obviously, this guy gives back in plenty of ways. He didn't ask for this, sure. He's in it, but if he doesn't think as a public figure with 47 million followers that he doesn't have influence... He does. And it's okay to say more than he did. And I don't want him to get into politics. I just wish he'd done more.
00:23:18
Speaker 2: On this, baby. Yeah, it's tough. Yeah, his statement left a lot. Even though he said a lot, it left a lot unsaid. All right. And with that, everyone, we always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk soon.
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Wednesday, September 16th. Macklemore got booted. Everybody else has now left the Ed Sheeran tour voluntarily. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I got this right. There is no opening act left.
00:00:19
Speaker 2: There is no one left. He started with five, and now there are none. All four opening acts quit Ed Sheeran in solidarity with Macklemore, and they didn't go quietly. Huh. Each one of these artists put out a very well thought out statement as to why they were leaving. And think about it. These acts, I mean, look, we're talking about Phineas, Billie Eilish's brother. A lot of people would say the creative mind behind many of some of your favorite songs that you listen to each and every day. For him to withdraw is a huge deal. But then Lucas Graham, we love Lucas Graham. Seven years, Mama Said, Love Someone. He backed out. Irish singer Aaron Rowe announced he was dropping out. And Sheeran's own house band, Bayoga, also announced it was leaving the tour. Some of these groups, this was the opportunity of their lives. The most exposure they were going to ever get. Stadiums they would never otherwise be able to sing or perform in. And the money, the opportunity, the exposure for them to all give that up speaks volumes.
00:01:30
Speaker 1: Volumes. And Robes, you said that's good. They didn't go quietly, but they all went thoughtfully, Robes, in such a way that felt personal and not political. And I know you're going to share the statements, but what's the name, Bioga? Yes.
00:01:45
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:01:46
Speaker 1: So if folks don't understand, we actually did, I just want to explain part of, it's called the loop tour for a reason, because Ed Sheeran gets up there by himself with one guitar for damn near three hours and and essentially creates the live sound. He doesn't use a band, essentially. If you haven't seen, it is really phenomenal. Justin Bieber can do it. It's impressive. But he creates the sounds for the song live right there in front of you, and then loops them in such a way, and then performs the whole song where it sounds like there's a whole band up there and it's just him. It's phenomenal. But Robes, during his three-hour set when we saw him at MetLife, he brought out this Irish band we're talking about, and Robes, he was gushing about them over and over and over to the point of annoyance. He kept telling us all where we could see them perform locally. So what I'm saying is, Edge, this is a big deal, in my opinion, to hear that they dropped out because I saw, we saw them so excited and getting so much love from this international star, and they're stepping away.
00:02:46
Speaker 2: And they're stepping away. This is not a small... decision. This is not an easy thing for any of these artists to do. So I guess that is just the backdrop to this huge headline. But individually, all of these artists are giving up a ton to make this point. And then we also, by the way, I heard from Ed Sheeran, we'll give you his statement. It was lengthy.
00:03:12
Speaker 1: And questionable. And maybe parts confusing and unadvised. And look, we have said plenty. We are huge fans of this guy. And a lot of Ropes, he just doesn't step in this stuff. Controversy is not his thing.
00:03:24
Speaker 2: But by not stepping in it, he's kind of stepped in it.
00:03:28
Speaker 1: Oh, I agree with you 100%.
00:03:28
Speaker 2: 100%. What do they say? If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything. And people lose respect. And that's part of what seems to be happening right now. It's one thing.
00:03:40
Speaker 1: You make a good point. It'll be clear. It's one thing, right, not to say anything, but to say something and that something be I don't want to say anything. That is a difficult, you're declaring yourself neutral. Just don't say anything. That's fine. Yeah, Robes, this is, yeah, we had trouble with this statement.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: It was tough.
00:04:04
Speaker 1: It was tough.
00:04:04
Speaker 2: We'll begin with Phineas's statement. Look, this is somebody, and he actually was short and sweet. Sometimes I feel like that packs more of a punch because some of these lengthy ones, it loses steam. It's a reminder. When you want someone to remember what you said, keep it short. And Phineas really did that. He has 4.7 million followers. So he has a lot of folks who are listening to him. And by the way, Phineas and his sister, Billie Eilish, remember they joined celebrities last year. I forgot about this for a benefit concert to support relief efforts. called Together for Palestine. So he has already been outspoken about this issue. And so he wrote this on his Instagram yesterday. Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people. Boom.
00:04:59
Speaker 1: Nothing more to be said. And Heathrow, that's a multiple Grammy winner, is he not?
00:05:04
Speaker 2: Yes, yes. And more to come, I'm sure, because those two are on fire. Their music is phenomenal. So yeah, and people have already responded. I've seen a lot of people commenting. They were excited. He was doing the South American part of the tour. So people in Brazil, a lot of people were understanding. They said, we have been waiting. We bought tickets actually just to see you, but we respect where you are. We respect that you spoke out. So I thought it was interesting. Yes, a lot of disappointed fans out there.
00:05:31
Speaker 1: What is their recourse, Robes? They're not getting the show they paid for.
00:05:35
Speaker 2: I know. And that's unclear right now. Unclear. Lucas Graham, who, again, we love, listen to his music all the time. He wrote this. burying the people they love. We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up wherever they live, whatever flag flies over them. I grew up in Christiana, a small community in Denmark, where speaking your mind was part of everyday life. Having more money didn't make your opinion worth more than anyone else's. Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody's bake balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge. I love Ed, and I'm grateful for everything we've shared. That hasn't changed. But I can't put these words out in the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We're withdrawing from the remaining dates. I'm sorry we won't be there. This is a difficult decision, but it's one I need to stand by.
00:06:37
Speaker 1: Robes, that was well done.
00:06:39
Speaker 2: Well done.
00:06:41
Speaker 1: But they're making good points, Rob, without getting into a lot of politics. They're saying with a lot of people, why can you not sympathize? You're not anti-Semitic. You're not criticizing one side just by saying you don't want to see these children die either. There was a really good line in there about money deciding who gets the conversation.
00:07:03
Speaker 2: Yes, it said money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation anymore. Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge. That was a direct attack against Robert Kraft. No question. The billionaire who spoke out and said Gillette Stadium would not host Ed Sheeran if Macklemore was on board and reportedly got a bunch of other stadium owners to join in on his threatened boycott. Aaron Rowe, the Irish singer. This was also short and sweet, but packed a punch. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. I could never thank him enough for this. But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation.
00:07:52
Speaker 1: Bam. You talk about this all the time, babe. So much of what happens in the world and whatever case and big story on the news, you see it through your own experience. You just do. And some people, there are many people in the world who can view that conflict through their own experience, their upbringing, their countries. And then people see it differently and they should all be heard.
00:08:15
Speaker 2: We should really respect where some of these artists are coming from. And Sheeran's House Band, I wrote holy hell by this because.
00:08:24
Speaker 1: This You saved this one for last.
00:08:26
Speaker 2: Unreal. Bioga. Listen to what they had to say. We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran's band on the remaining U.S. Loop Tour following the silencing of Macklemore by Zionist lobbies. We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size, and that opportunity is not lost on us. We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people. As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams. But to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a free Palestine is simply not an option for us. It is important that everyone knows that the real enemy is the Zionist lobby. They have worked tirelessly to silence artists who want to speak freely about a genocide happening before our eyes for fear of retribution. Research how much Robert Kraft has done to fight the BDS movement. That will give you a sense of what we've all been up against. We were there for McLemore's performance and speech. We fully supported his message. so did most of the audience in MetLife Stadium, which terrifies the lobbies. Go back and read the transcript if you're in doubt. We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be. This whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue. Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire. Up the workers, free Palestine.
00:10:11
Speaker 1: That's coming from a different place. They took him on. But they're coming from, just like everybody else, right? They come from their sincere place of passion and care. Who's right? Everybody, a little bit. Who's wrong? Everybody, a little bit.
00:10:30
Speaker 2: That's the point. And the biggest, I think, what's at issue here, no one said anything directly against the Jewish people, but by not making... They didn't reference... They didn't reference, at least McLemore didn't reference Jewish occupation. Therefore, they also didn't reference Hamas. So it's tough because, and look, even the house band went after the pressure, the lobbies, not the Israeli state, but the lobbies that are putting pressure on organizations. It's fascinating information. This is about free speech.
00:11:13
Speaker 1: Robes, and we are talking about artists. I mean, there is a long history. I know athletes do it now and known for, and a lot of athletes have taken the stand over the years and historic moments. But, Robes, this is the core of musicians. They have a long history of speaking out, whether it's protest songs or support so hell even we are the world robes.
00:11:38
Speaker 2: Four dead in ohio like i can remember like anthems yes and on crosby stills nash and young.
00:11:44
Speaker 1: Taking on vietnam taking on robes this is what they're doing you're telling us we can't get on stage and speak that is.
00:11:52
Speaker 2: That is personal from head to toe that's personal for them All right. So that is what the four opening acts had to say as they all collectively abruptly withdrew from Ed Sheeran's concert. Now, when we come back, we will tell you what Ed Sheeran himself had to say. And it was a lot. Welcome back, everyone, to Amy and TJ. Yes, Ed Sheeran felt the need to respond after his entire opening act left his tour unclear what he's going to do in terms of how he's going to proceed with the concert itself. But he said this to his 47.4 million followers on Instagram. I'll be interested to see what people have to think about this. I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated. Macklemore asked to join my tour last year, and I agreed because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a set list of their choosing. After Macklemore's performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was supporting. I was informed that this dance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance rather than on everything that was said. I spoke to the venues at length all week.
00:13:30
Speaker 1: To try and build a bridge. I am so sorry, babe. You back that up for me. I'm sorry, baby. Help me here. Help me here. Go back to that explaining about why.
00:13:38
Speaker 2: I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance rather than on everything that was said.
00:13:48
Speaker 1: That's too cute, Ed.
00:13:50
Speaker 2: I gather that he's saying because he didn't bring up Hamas, because he didn't bring up the full context of the conflict.
00:13:58
Speaker 1: It's based on part of how it was. That's getting a little too cute with language, baby.
00:14:06
Speaker 2: Yeah. Oh, Ed.
00:14:08
Speaker 1: And we love some Ed Sheeran. We do.
00:14:11
Speaker 2: But Macklemore's also not a journalist. He's just speaking his mind. He isn't required. to double source and say both sides of the story. Like that's the part that like, okay, so if you didn't like that, you're not going to like what comes next. I spoke to the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge. One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find mutual resolution for all. But the venues and the promoters' decision was final. Macklemore's coming off the tour was the promoter's decision. It was not mine. Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.
00:14:57
Speaker 1: That next sentence better be very, very important because Robes, he's taking zero responsibility for Macklemore being off the tour. But he's not saying yet that he wanted him to stay. He hasn't, I've been in meaningful conversations about resolution. He's not saying, yeah, I was fighting to keep him on and fighting for his right to speak. That's not what Ed is saying.
00:15:23
Speaker 2: He's not saying that at all. No, Ed. He then goes on to say, I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living. I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together. And this won't ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome. I am not complicit. I have my personal views on the devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them. And it doesn't mean I don't care. Nor does it mean I don't support causes in my own personal way. There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics. My audience includes young people, often children of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect McLemore's strength, the purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end. Peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary to main diplomacy and and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change. I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution, and unfortunately was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.
00:17:10
Speaker 1: Ed.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: That sounds like I know my truth, but I'm not going to share it with you.
00:17:15
Speaker 1: Yeah. And he has every right to do that and to say that. It's just not what I would have advised. Maybe he's trying to get through it as safely and easily as possible. But that is the most words I have seen put into a statement that said nothing. That's a lot of words.
00:17:31
Speaker 2: He supported no one.
00:17:32
Speaker 1: To say nothing.
00:17:33
Speaker 2: And look, I understand.
00:17:35
Speaker 1: To apologize for nothing, to accept anything, to rate nothing.
00:17:38
Speaker 2: He's protecting his brand.
00:17:39
Speaker 1: And that's cool. That is okay. Because his brand, what does Ed Sheeran stand for? Nothing that I know of. Music's great. Seen him dancing in the streets of New Orleans. I can see those images. This is, that's okay. But just, that was a long statement, baby, where he felt like he had some explaining to do. But he gave us nothing.
00:17:59
Speaker 2: He explained nothing.
00:18:00
Speaker 1: Well, and that's, that's fine.
00:18:02
Speaker 2: Would it have been better had he not said anything at all? I feel like he needed to say something.
00:18:07
Speaker 1: I think maybe he should have waited until he got on stage again. Maybe he could have gotten on stage, not made light of it, but acknowledged it in a passionate way. We saw him talk on that stage in between songs plenty. And a lot of he spoke about passionately and it was off the cuff. I'm sure he could have come up with something because everybody's waiting now to hear him say something.
00:18:27
Speaker 2: What would have happened? Let me just be out there and say, what if he had said, I make no political statement about the conflict in Gaza, but I will make a statement about The suppression of free speech. And because of that, I am canceling the rest of my tour. I refuse to allow Macklemore to be removed. And I stand by my artist. And if that means we can't play, that means we can't play. So if you can't come to my concert, ask the local stadium why not.
00:19:04
Speaker 1: Then he's anti-Semitic. Because you're supporting a guy who yelled free Palestine. Because it won't be viewed as you supporting free speech. It will be viewed as you supporting him. That's what he would get. He's the big name. He's the big star. Everybody wants to make a zapper out of him. They want to attach his name to it all. So they're going to come after him. That's what's going to happen, babe.
00:19:26
Speaker 2: Wow. Well, he's gotten some reaction. I know Representative AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, She publicly yesterday said she is no longer going to listen to Ed Sheeran. She said she's boycotting him because he's complicit in Robert Kraft and other stadium owners' efforts to silence McLemore.
00:19:46
Speaker 1: Ms.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: Rachel, she's a big deal educator, YouTuber, big child influencer. She put out a pretty big statement saying, Ed Sheeran had an opportunity to show that we won't be bullied into punishing people for supporting Palestine. Instead, he caved to people who refuse to accept what the world knows. A genocide is happening in Gaza today. And we all need to speak out against it. And look, I mean, basically the UN has, you know, there's an absolute arrest warrant out for Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes. A lot of people are pointing to that. The fact that they absolutely, this has been declared a genocide by world organizations. And so, yes.
00:20:31
Speaker 1: Make sure you follow up that sentence though, babe. We're talking about the years and years of... death and destruction caused by Hamas. And I say that, not being sarcastic, like you really can't say one thing without immediately following it with the other, even though everything you said is factually correct. This is not just some random people deciding to declare what's happening in Gaza a certain thing. There are world organizations, you can disagree with them, but this is not just being made up by Michael.
00:20:59
Speaker 2: Hamas is a terrorist organization, no question. And so the question is, can you talk about the Palestinian people Without naming Israel and without naming Hamas? Or do you have to say the larger context?
00:21:17
Speaker 1: Clearly, this has been demonstrated. Yes, baby. You have to. Or you will be booted.
00:21:21
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:21:23
Speaker 1: Who knows what happens with the tour? It doesn't appear. Robes, I don't know. Nothing out there yet about refunds for these possible tickets. That's a lot of money. He does not want to cancel. But can everybody get your money back? Because... The show you were going to see is not the show you paid to go see. I don't know what we're expecting next, the next move. Oh, the next show. When is the next show?
00:21:44
Speaker 2: September 19th in Philadelphia.
00:21:47
Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, Lincoln. Lincoln Financial. As of right now, it's still on.
00:21:51
Speaker 2: Yes, it's still on. And then the next one is the one that caused all the hubbub, September 25th, the following weekend at Gillette Stadium, 25th and 26th. That's the Robert Kraft, You Can't Play in My Stadium stadium. But look, yes, I mean, this Saturday, sorry, yes, Saturday, Sheeran will go on without any other musical acts.
00:22:14
Speaker 1: You can't find a quick replacement, can you? Somebody locally that will come on.
00:22:18
Speaker 2: Maybe they'll find some, I don't know.
00:22:20
Speaker 1: But after all these artists dropped off, is somebody going to join that tour now?
00:22:24
Speaker 2: Because now they're anti-Palestinians.
00:22:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, or you're anti-First Amendment.
00:22:30
Speaker 2: Oof.
00:22:30
Speaker 1: This is just a mess. It's ugly. This was in the office in Atlanta. Somebody gave me rose. I found the quote I was talking about. Muhammad Ali, you lose nothing when fighting for a cause. In my mind, the losers are those who don't have a cause they care about. That's what Ed Sheeran is being viewed as in trying to convince everybody, no, no, no, no, I care. I can't tell you what I care about or how I care about it or how I contribute to it, but just trust me. And I do believe, obviously, this guy gives back in plenty of ways. He didn't ask for this, sure. He's in it, but if he doesn't think as a public figure with 47 million followers that he doesn't have influence... He does. And it's okay to say more than he did. And I don't want him to get into politics. I just wish he'd done more.
00:23:18
Speaker 2: On this, baby. Yeah, it's tough. Yeah, his statement left a lot. Even though he said a lot, it left a lot unsaid. All right. And with that, everyone, we always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk soon.
