Ed Sheeran found himself in a rather tense situation before his Philadelphia concert on September 19. Can you imagine being a global superstar and feeling a tinge of fear? That’s exactly what happened when he expressed worries over the audience potentially throwing objects at him. Interesting, right? Security measures were ramped up significantly after the controversy surrounding the removal of Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour sparked dramatic reactions, leading fellow supporting acts to withdraw in solidarity. The cosmos seems to be echoing this intensity, as relationships and communication have been a hot topic lately with Mercury in retrograde. Sheeran, the “Thinking Out Loud” crooner, faced the crowd solo at Lincoln Financial Field, directly addressing the controversies that shadowed his tour, making for one unforgettable night. A blend of anxiety mixed with star power—what a wild combination! So, how does one handle their fan base while navigating through controversy and fear? Let’s dive into the details of Sheeran’s intense night. LEARN MORE.
Ed Sheeran has admitted he was ‘afraid’ before his concert in Philadelphia last night (September 19) as he raised concerns about the audience ‘throwing’ things at him.
The British superstar made a huge security move prior to his solo show in Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field yesterday, following controversy surrounding the removal of tour opener Macklemore, which saw the other supporting acts pull out in solidarity.
The US rapper was dropped from upcoming gigs on Sheeran’s Loop Tour, after making pro-Palestinian speeches on stage in which he called for a ‘Free Palestine’, during a September 4 performance.
The ‘Thinking Out Loud’ singer subsequently released a statement noting that he has ‘personal views on the conflict’, but that he chooses not to speak about them publicly.
But during his Saturday night show, which went ahead without any support acts, Sheeran addressed the controversy head-on, speaking for four minutes as he read from a teleprompter.

Sheeran issued a statement following the controversy. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella)
“I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry,” he said, before explaining the security call he made prior to the performance.
The singer made the decision to remove the B-stage for safety reasons, that would normally see him perform in the middle of the crowd.
“I didn’t know what this audience would be like. I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me,” he said.
The star added: “I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle. And I will admit that.”

He decided to go ahead with the Loop Tour despite being advised not to. (A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Further explaining his stance, Sheeran continued: “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet.”
During his lengthy speech prior to the show, Sheeran noted that he is ‘appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine’, and further described it as a ‘human tragedy’.
The star even admitted he had questioned whether he wanted to continue his career as an artist, saying: “I really didn’t know if this tour would be carrying on.
“I really didn’t know whether I’d even be getting on stage again, whether I even wanted to be an artist at all. In these situations, you really find out who your friends are.”
The singer has lost more than 100,000 followers following the controversy.
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