Macklemore claims US arenas turned down his Free Palestine tour dates
The rapper said nine major venues, including Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum, declined to host his shows, while venue operators cited limited availability and his market level.
American rapper Macklemore said nine U.S. concert venues declined to book dates for his Free Palestine tour, which concluded with three performances in Europe. He noted that Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum were among the venues that refused his request.
"The shows were not going to be allowed to happen in these venues," Macklemore wrote on social media, adding that he had never encountered such a situation in his two decades of touring.
A spokesperson for MSG Entertainment, which manages Madison Square Garden, said its properties are among "the busiest venues in the world with extremely limited availability" and described Macklemore as "not an arena-level act." The Kia Forum did not immediately respond to comment requests.
Macklemore launched the tour after being removed as the opening act for Ed Sheeran’s tour in August, alleging that stadium owners objected to his on-stage use of the phrase "Free Palestine." He performed shows in Dublin, Paris and London to raise funds for groups supporting the Palestinian people and said he intends to continue collaborating with other artists for similar events.
The conflict in Gaza, which began after Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has resulted in a high civilian death toll, with Palestinian authorities reporting more than 74,000 deaths. Israeli officials have described their military actions as self-defence.