The storm takes the stage
Bad news for the New England Sheerios. Ed Sheeran’s highly anticipated shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, scheduled for this Friday (Sept. 25) and Saturday (Sept. 26), have been officially canceled. The call came from his tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, who confirmed that a major nor'easter heading for the East Coast is the culprit.
"Due to the severe weather warnings in place in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend and following consultation with local officials, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium," the team said in a statement.
Basically, the vibes are off for a stadium gig right now. Forecasters are predicting gusts between 40-55 m.p.h. through Saturday night—definitely not the energy you want when you're trying to belt out 'Shape of You.' If you had tickets, don't panic: refunds are automatic if you used Ticketmaster, and otherwise available at your point of purchase.
The tour's bumpy road
It’s been a chaotic year for this tour, no cap. This cancellation comes right after the massive drama surrounding former opening act Macklemore. After the rapper used his set to chant "Free Palestine" and perform his protest track "Hind’s Hall," the Israeli-American Council petitioned to have him removed. He was eventually dropped from the tour, which led to a chain reaction where other openers—including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga—walked off in solidarity.
Ed has since been performing solo, trying to steer the focus back to humanity and unity while navigating the complexities of the conflict. He is expected to be back on the road in Atlanta on October 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Why it matters
Safety is the priority here, but this storm is causing major logistical headaches across the industry—the Ocean Calling Festival also had to scrap its opening day. Stay safe if you're in the path of the storm; hopefully, the rest of the tour goes off without a hitch.
