Macklemore is taking his fight to bring the Free Palestine benefit concerts to the United States directly to some of the country’s biggest arenas. The rapper has named nine venues he says declined to host the tour, while Madison Square Garden has pushed back with a blunt explanation that has added another layer to the controversy.
The list includes Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Prudential Center, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Macklemore claims that attempts to secure dates through the end of 2026 fell apart after venue representatives learned the concerts would raise money for Palestinian causes.
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MSG was the first to respond publicly. In a statement to TMZ, a representative said: “We have some of the busiest venues in the world with extremely limited availability and he’s not an arena level act.” The response challenges the premise that the show was rejected because of its political purpose, instead pointing to scheduling constraints and Macklemore’s ability to fill an arena.
The benefit run took shape after Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran‘s US Loop Tour. During September performances at MetLife Stadium, the Seattle rapper wore a keffiyeh, called for a “Free Palestine,” criticized Israeli government actions and performed “Hind’s Hall,” his 2024 protest song dedicated to a Palestinian child killed in Gaza. The track was accompanied by footage from the region. Sheeran’s team subsequently dropped him from the remaining US dates, prompting Macklemore to frame the decision as an example of powerful industry interests limiting political expression.
On September 24, he announced three European concerts: Dublin’s 3Arena on October 26, Paris’s Accor Arena on October 29 and London’s OVO Arena Wembley on October 30. All proceeds were earmarked for 12 organizations supporting humanitarian aid, medical care, education and advocacy for Palestinians. The shows brought together artists including Hozier, Kneecap, Aurora, Portugal. The Man, Paloma Faith and Vic Mensa, alongside activist appearances and messages from public figures. Macklemore also said he donated approximately $1 million earned from the Sheeran tour to Palestinian aid groups.
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