Macklemore says major U.S. arenas refused his Free Palestine tour

politicsNov 6, 202616759

Macklemore says nine major U.S. arenas declined to book his Free Palestine benefit tour, naming Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center, and Climate Pledge Arena. He says available dates were offered by mid-September but were withdrawn once venues learned the shows were benefit concerts for Palestinian people. Macklemore noted he has never experienced this in over 20 years of touring and criticized wealthy arena owners for policing which causes artists can support. Earlier this year Ed Sheeran removed Macklemore from his stadium tour, prompting Macklemore to donate the $1 million he earned on that tour to organizations aiding Palestinian people. Macklemore has already completed three sold-out Free Palestine benefit shows in Dublin, Paris, and London, each featuring surprise guests and raising additional funds. Madison Square Garden responded that Macklemore is not an arena-level act and cited extremely limited availability as the reason he was not booked.

Pop Base

@popbase.tv

Macklemore reveals which venues declined to host his ‘FREE PALESTINE’ Tour: • Madison Square Garden • Kia Forum • Prudential Center • Barclays Center • UBS Arena • Intuit Dome • Crypto/com Arena • Chase Center • Climate Pledge Arena

4551h ago

idkjay26

Name and shame, right on

Matt (He/Him)6

Interesting that they are all in New York/New Jersey, LA, San Fran, and Seattle. Which are generally considered "progressive" areas.

Zesmerelda5

Beautiful Climate Pledge Arena? Damn.

Indicanna Jonas5

but madison square had no problem hosting trumps nazi rally make it make sense

Salty in the South3

So now every artist has a list of venues they won’t play. Right?

ericswedlund.bsky.social1

Damn my inability to remember the current corporate sponsor name of frequently renamed arenas

Quoting this

Charlotte Moore-Lambert7

MSG is not for human rights concerts. it is a wedding venue, everyone knows this

Babs the Autumnal Shark7

disappointed but not surprised by climate pledge tbh

Scott Alspach5

Climate Pledge is on this list 🤬

Matt Bruce4

lol fuck @climatepledgearena.com, bye pookie.

fran zaya4

Chase Center really living up to its name

Jon2

fuck you again james dolan

Dylan Wilbanks2

*glares at Seattle city government reminding them THEY own Climate Pledge Arena*

Wear The Peace

@wearthepeace.bsky.social

Macklemore has revealed that he’s been denied from nine major American arenas to host his Free Palestine benefit tour. He says “In over 20 years of touring, I’ve never experienced anything like this.”

1263h ago

chingonatown.bsky.social14

Thank you for sharing the list of arenas that I will not patronize. Free Palestine 🇵🇸

Mills5

@climatepledgearena.com really??? Seattleites will deal with you

Betsy 💙2

So he says they withdrew available dates when they found out the concerts would benefit Palestine. That does seem discriminatory.

Vichy Dems ⚛️ 🇺🇦1

This is where other major artists should refuse to use those venues as well.

Quoting this

Resist 🕎🍉247

❌ Boycott Zionist Arenas in the U.S. ❌ - Madison Square Garden - Prudential Center - Barclays Cetner - UBS Arena - Intuit Dome - Crypto.com Arena - Kia Forum - Chase Center - Climate Pledge Arena

AUgetoffmygold

@augetoffmygold.bsky.social

I mean not that they're necessarily 100% wrong but there's a podcast called 'Giggly Squad' playing FOUR nights at MSG in February. No one knows who the fuck is or isn't an arena act in 2026; Macklemore would certainly not be the most surprising or least credible act on any arena's live calendar.

89Just now

dr. thrasher

@thrasherxy.bsky.social

“It Ain’t ‘Woke 3.0’ if Palestine Is Not Free” self portrait, based on photograph by Ryan Pfluger ink and watercolor on paper 11 x 15”

291h ago

chingonatown.bsky.social

@chingonatown.bsky.social

Thank you for sharing the list of arenas that I will not patronize. Free Palestine 🇵🇸

143h ago

Psycho Pete

@psychopete.bsky.social

Arenas that are pro-genocide (I assume) and won’t host Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” concert tour. I won’t be going to these arenas: Madison Square Garden. Prudential Center. Barclays Center. UBS Arena. Intuit Dome. Kia Forum. Crypto Arena. Chase Center. Climate Pledge Arena.

82h ago

Joe Noonan

@joenoonan.bsky.social

"Our plan was to bring this tour home to the U.S,” he wrote following his sellout Free Palestine shows in arenas in Dublin, Paris and London. “But after weeks of reaching out, nine major American arenas have turned us down.” - Ben Haggerty aka Macklemore

5Just now

Adrenalynn

@adrenalyn.bsky.social

🇵🇸"after weeks of reaching out, 9 major American arenas have turned us down But at this point I'm 3 years past giving two shits about maintaining any relationships, business or personal, with anyone that isn't riding for a Free Palestine." ✊✊✊

53h ago

Drew Grimaldi

@grimaldi.tv

Macklemore says nine U.S. arenas turned down his 'Free Palestine' tour and says he feels punished for his stance. https://www.tmz.com/2026/11/06/macklemore-says-us-arenas-did-not-want-his-palestine-show

32h ago

Jethro Remington

@remingtonwy.bsky.social

These are Zionist arenas that refused to accept Macklemore's "Free Palestine" tour. Please boycott!

32h ago

Brady Klopfer

@bradyklopfer.bsky.social

Macklemore announced on social media that he is trying to bring his Free Palestine tour to the US but that the major arenas he's reached out to have all rejected him, including MSG, Crypto dot com, Chase Center, Barclays, and the Intuit Dome

42h ago