Ed Sheeran brought former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade onstage as a surprise opening act for his Oct. 3 Loop Tour concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, marking the first time the tour has featured a support performer since several acts withdrew following Macklemore’s removal from the lineup.
Slade performed a short set before Sheeran’s headlining performance, including The Fray hits “How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me.” The appearance had been teased by Mercedes-Benz Stadium earlier in the day, which listed a “special guest” without revealing the singer’s identity.
During his performance, Slade also addressed the conflict in Gaza and the controversy surrounding the tour. He called for people to move toward common ground and said that finding peace would require understanding different perspectives. His comments came amid the continuing fallout over Macklemore’s departure from Sheeran’s tour.
Macklemore was removed from the Loop Tour in September after his performances at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where he spoke in support of Palestinians and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall.” Sheeran later said the decision was made by the tour’s promoter after venues communicated that they would withdraw if Macklemore remained on the bill.
The decision prompted several of Sheeran’s remaining support acts to leave the tour. Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe announced their withdrawals, while Irish folk group Beoga also departed as Sheeran’s backing band. The artists cited concerns about artists being silenced and their support for Palestinian rights.
Sheeran subsequently performed several shows without traditional opening acts. At a September concert in Philadelphia, he addressed the controversy and said he had made mistakes in how the situation unfolded. He also said he would continue the tour because of his commitment to his fans.
Slade has a longstanding connection with Sheeran. The former Fray singer previously joined Sheeran onstage during the Toronto stop of the Loop Tour in August, performing “How to Save a Life.” Sheeran has also spoken about The Fray’s influence on him during his formative years as a songwriter.
Slade left The Fray in 2022 and later pursued music under his own name. His appearance in Atlanta now represents his latest collaboration with Sheeran as the Loop Tour continues across the United States.
Sheeran’s U.S. leg of the Loop Tour is scheduled to continue through Nov. 7, when it concludes at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. He is then scheduled to take the tour to Latin America, with the final date currently set for Dec. 11 in Mexico City.
