Macklemore Opens 'Free Palestine' Tour in Dublin With Hozier and Kneecap

Macklemore launched his sold-out Free Palestine Tour in Dublin on Monday, Oct. 26, with surprise appearances from Hozier, Kneecap and Beoga — the backing band that quit Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour in solidarity with the rapper. The show came just over a month after Macklemore was removed as an opener on Sheeran's tour following onstage comments supporting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and a call for a "free Palestine."

Who played, and who spoke

The lineup stayed secret until showtime. Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul performed early in the night, alongside M-1 of Dead Prez and DJ Habibeats, a Palestinian-American DJ and producer.

Macklemore also booked speakers rather than just musicians. Irish actor Liam Cunningham delivered the opening remarks. "Enjoying tonight does not mean forgetting about the suffering in Gaza," Cunningham said. "It means celebrating the humanity and life that Palestinians have fought so hard to protect." Psychotherapist and activist Nadia Greenspan and organizer Samir Eskanda also addressed the crowd.

Why Hozier and Kneecap showed up

The Dublin guests each brought their own history of pro-Palestinian advocacy. Hozier has voiced support for Palestinians in Gaza at his concerts for over two years. At Governors Ball in 2025, he told 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 called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and "peace and safety and security for everybody in that region, which of course means seeing a Palestine that's free from occupation."

Onstage in Dublin, Hozier celebrated Ireland's record of "global solidarity when it comes to emancipation and justice. A wonderful history of anti-racism, also."

Kneecap, the Belfast hip-hop trio, have faced backlash themselves. Coachella cut short the livestream of their 2024 set — which included projections calling out Israel — without notice or explanation. In Dublin, their message was blunt: "They can never silence the truth."

Beoga framed their appearance the same way. "The times are changing, we've never been prouder to be from the country we're from," the band said. When they left Sheeran's tour, they stated: "We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran's band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people."

What does the tour actually change?

For the organizations on the receiving end, quite a lot. Proceeds benefit a roster of groups supporting Palestinians: Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestinian Youth Movement, Heal Palestine, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Jewish Voices for Peace, UNRWA USA National Committee and others.

Macklemore announced the run in September, explaining his approach to booking it. "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," he said. "Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we're only willing to use them when it's safe."

Sheeran, for his part, has said the decision to drop Macklemore from the Loop Tour rested with venue owners and promoters, including the Kraft Group's Robert Kraft.

The tour continues in Paris on Oct. 29 and London on Oct. 30 — a test of whether an artist dropped from one of pop's biggest tours can turn that ousting into a viable charity circuit of his own.