Ed Sheeran welcomed former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade as a surprise opening act during his concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The unannounced appearance came as the Loop Tour resumed following a period of tour fallout and cancellations.
Prior to the Saturday concert, Mercedes-Benz Stadium teased Slade’s appearance in an Instagram post listing a special guest before the performance. Slade performed an abbreviated set that included the Fray hits “How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me” before Sheeran took the stage. Now performing in Macklemore’s slot — the rapper was originally booked to open the Atlanta show — Slade talked about both taking sides and finding middle ground. Everybody seems to be taking sides in this world and that’s good. What’s happening over there [in Gaza] is wrong but if we’re going to get through it, we’re going to need people to step into that middle place, that common ground,
Slade said (via Billboard). The singer continued, That bonfire in the middle of the field that sees both sides, that understands that peace is not a lack of conflict. Peace is not a blank canvas that we need to guard and be polite. [Peace] holds enough beauty, enough tragedy, enough sorrow, enough joy and life if we learn how to integrate it and hold each other in balance. We will find a way through this together.
Macklemore Removal Triggers Support Act Walkout
Slade’s surprise performance filled the opening slot originally booked for Macklemore. Macklemore was removed from the Loop Tour following his performances at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium in September, where he wore a keffiyeh, shouted Free Palestine,
and performed his song Hind’s Hall.
Days later, touring partners announced Macklemore had been removed after Jewish NFL owner Robert Kraft and other venues threatened to cancel upcoming shows.
Following Macklemore’s removal, supporting acts Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and backing band Beoga quit the tour in solidarity. Sheeran’s scheduled Massachusetts concerts last week were also canceled due to a nor’easter, giving him extra time to find a new opening act before resuming in Atlanta.
Sheeran Tour Continues Through Indianapolis and Tampa
Sheeran has credited The Fray as an influence on his early career and formative years as a teenager. Slade co-founded the band in 2002, left in 2022 to focus on his mental health, and launched his first solo tour in late 2025.
The US leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour is scheduled to continue, with a performance set for October 10 in Indianapolis, though it remains unclear if Slade will accompany him or if another special guest will appear. The US leg is scheduled to wrap on November 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, before heading to Latin America to end on December 11 at Mexico City’s Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes.
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