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Humiliated Macklemore speaks out after ‘Free Palestine’ tour pitch to California arenas: ‘We will build our own stages’
Macklemore says nine US arenas cancelled or withdrew dates for a proposed “Free Palestine” benefit tour after learning the concerts would support Palestinians. He accused the entertainment industry of putting business interests ahead of Palestinian lives and said he would find other places to stage future shows.
Madison Square Garden disputed his account, saying the singer was not an arena-level act and its venues have limited availability. The California venues Macklemore named were Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena and Chase Center; MSG and Barclays Center were also among the nine. The proposed US dates would have followed benefit shows in Dublin, Paris and London, and came after Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s US tour following political remarks at MetLife Stadium.
In short
- Macklemore says nine arenas pulled dates for his Palestine benefit tour.
- Madison Square Garden says he is not an arena-level act.
- He plans to stage future fundraising shows elsewhere.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Macklemore’s account raises a reasonable concern that venues may avoid politically contentious events to protect commercial relationships, even when the concerts are humanitarian benefits. If arenas withdrew after learning the cause, that could restrict artists’ ability to raise funds and draw attention to Palestinian suffering; seeking independent stages would be a legitimate response.
The case against
The venues may have declined for ordinary commercial and scheduling reasons rather than because of the cause, as MSG says about its limited availability and Macklemore’s suitability for an arena. Without independent evidence about each decision, it is reasonable to distinguish the reported cancellations from the claim that the entertainment industry prioritised business over Palestinian lives.