Macklemore Launches ‘Free Palestine’ Tour With Hozier and Kneecap in Dublin
The show kicked off the rapper's series of charity concerts after he was removed from Ed Sheeran's tour for "free Palestine" statements — and it featured Sheeran's own backing band
Macklemore ‘s Free Palestine Tour is now underway, more than a month after the rapper was removed as an opener on Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour making onstage comments in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and called for a “free Palestine.” The charity run kicked off in Dublin today with special guest appearances from Hozier, Kneecap, and Boega, the backing band that dropped out of Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
“It has been beautiful to watch the Irish people come together these last three years in solidarity. I’ve been so proud to watch overseas, to watch how you stepped up,” Macklemore told the audience. “I called a lot of people in the last six weeks and you know who picked up that phone right away and said yes? Hozier and Kneecap.”
During his set, Hozier celebrated Ireland’s history of “global solidarity when it comes to emancipation and justice. A wonderful history of anti-racism, also.” He played his hits, from “Too Sweet” and “Work Song” to “Take Me to Church” and “From Eden,” but also performed “Swan Upon Leda” for the first time in three years.
Hozier also voiced his support for the “55 students in Gaza who are awaiting for their visas to be approved for scholarship places they earned and are waiting for them here in Ireland,” he said. “The government has not approved their visa applications. It’s baffling why it hasn’t been solved yet, but if you want to sign a petition, there it is behind me on the screen.”
Towards the end of their set, Kneecap thanked Sheeran “for helping organize this concert.” They performed six songs, including “The Recap,” “Liars Tale,” and “No Comment,” which came just before their jab at Sheeran.
“There’s still no ceasefire in Gaza,” the group’s frontman said. “Until something changes, Kneecap, people like Macklemore, Hozier, will continue to use our platform for what we believe we can do.” A ceasefire agreement approved by Israel took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. The Associated Press reports over 1,100 have been killed in Gaza since then, with the total Palestinian death toll since October 2023 rising to more than 74,000. Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century
Macklemore’s set featured appearances from Tones And I and Mary Lambert, who guested on “Same Love.” He closed out the show with “Can’t Hold Us,” climbing into crowd and waving a keffiyeh through the air. “Six weeks ago, it was two words. Two words is all that it took. Two words that are rooted in love and liberation. Not against anybody, not divisive,” Macklemore said. “Not a call for hatred. But a call to recognize our shared humanity. Free Palestine. The same thing that I want for all of us, freedom, dignity, the right to exist without fear. Being able to raise our children in the homes that we grew up in, not having to prove our humanity to the rest of the world.”
The lineup for the event remained under wraps in the lead-up to the show. Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul performed early in the night, as well as the rapper M-1 of Dead Prez and DJ Habibeats, a Palestinian-American DJ and producer.
In addition to these artists, Macklemore arranged for guest speakers to address the crowd. The Irish actor Liam Cunningham delivered opening remarks at the start of the night. “Enjoying tonight does not mean forgetting about the suffering in Gaza,” he said. “It means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought so hard to protect.” Nadia Greenspan, a psychotherapist and activist, also appeared on the lineup alongside activist and organizer Samir Eskanda.
Several celebrities who couldn’t be there showed their support with a series of videos that included messages from Mark Ruffalo, Julian Casablancas, Cynthia Nixon, Ilana Glazer, and Natasha Rothwell. Related Content Zach Bryan Wears 'Free Palestine' Shirt at Gillette After Owner Robert Kraft Banned Macklemore Macklemore Says ‘Free Palestine’ Tour ‘Sold Out Immediately’: ‘Art Will Always Be a Form of Resistance’ Macklemore Sets ‘Free Palestine’ Tour Now That His Schedule ‘Freed Up a Bit’ Macklemore Sets Solo Return to Concert Stage, And Ticket Prices to His Show Are Soaring
“I’ve spent the last week reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences,” Macklemore said while announcing the tour in September. “Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe.”
Beoga appeared among the wave of artists who stood in solidarity with Macklemore. “The times are changing; we’ve never been prouder to be from the country we’re from,” the folk band said on stage in Dublin.
Sheeran, meanwhile, said the decision to pull Macklemore from the Loop Tour came down to the venue owners and promoters, including the Kraft Group’s Robert Kraft . “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,” Beoga said at the time. “We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.”
Kneecap voiced their support too, saying, “They can never silence the truth.” The Belfast hip-hop trio have experienced backlash for speaking out in favor of Palestinians. The livestream of their performance at Coachella last year, which included projections calling out Israel, was cut short without notice or explanation.
Hozier has showed his support for Palestinians living in Gaza during his concerts for over two years. During a headlining performance at Governors Ball in 2025, the singer-songwriter advised the crowd “to say no to the types of imperialism that leads to the types of cycles of violence that we’re seeing at the moment,” and added a call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as “peace and safety and security for everybody in that region, which of course means seeing a Palestine that’s free from occupation.” Trending Stories Trump Delivers Surefire Closing Message for Midterms: Check Out Nicki Minaj’s ‘Beautiful Ass’ Tate McRae Beats Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo in 'Billboard' Hot 100 Race for ... Number Two Anika Nilles on Her Rush Journey: ‘I Have No Ego, So I Play What’s Required’ George Takei Honors ‘Star Trek’ Co-Star Walter Koenig: ‘Keep Navigating a Steady Course’
Proceeds from the Free Palestine Tour will benefit a collection of organizations supporting the Palestinian movement, including Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestinian Youth Movement, Heal Palestine, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Jewish Voices for Peace, and the UNRWA USA National Committee.
Macklemore’s sold-out Free Palestine Tour will continue in Paris on Thursday, followed by a performance in London on Friday.
