Macklemore played the first of his ‘Free Palestine’ live shows in Dublin, and brought out Hozier, Beoga, Kneecap and more as special guests.
The gig was held at the 3Arena last night (Monday October 26), and marked the first of three shows the rapper has planned.
All shows are free, and encourage visitors to donate to humanitarian relief charities, which work to provide medical aid, medical care, education and advocacy for the people in Palestine. These include Medical Aid for Palestinians, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, UNRWA USA, Anera, and Jewish Voice for Peace.
The shows come following Macklemore making headlines last month, when he was abruptly kicked off Ed Sheeran’s ‘Loop Tour’ after calling for a “Free Palestine” while on-stage.
Now, at the first of the three ‘Free Palestine’ shows, Macklemore took to the stage at Dublin’s 3Arena and enlisted sets from Hozier, Kneecap and Beoga. The latter of which was also on the ‘Loop Tour’, but pulled out in support of Macklemore after he was dropped.
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For Kneecap, they entered the stage after a video of theirs was shown on the screens, showing people coming together at different points in history to speak out against injustice and call for change. The footage included clips of Martin Luther King Jr. and the US Civil Rights movement, as well as footage from across Ireland.
When Hozier took to the stage, he shared how it felt fitting for the first of the three shows to be held in Ireland, sharing: “We have a wonderful history of global solidarity when it comes to issues of emancipation and justice. A wonderful history of anti-racism also.” He went on to play a handful of his biggest songs including ‘Take Me To Church’ and ‘Too Sweet’.
Others to perform at the free benefit show were DJ Habibeats, M1 of Dead Prez and Lina Makoul.
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Guest speakers on the night included activist Nadia Greenspan, artist Samir Eskanda, and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, who all gave impassioned speeches, and remote appearances in support of the show came from The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas, Mark Ruffalo, Natasha Rothwell and Cynthia Nixon.
For his headline set, Macklemore broke out 10-songs towards the end of the night, including chart-toppers ‘Thrift Shop’ and ‘Can’t Hold Us’.
Looking at what led to the shows being made, he spoke about being kicked off the ‘Loop Tour’, and said before later performing in a Kneecap jersey: “Six weeks ago, it was two words. Two words is all that it took. Two words that are rooted in love and liberation. Not against anybody. Not divisive. Not a call for hatred, but a call to recognise our shared humanity. Free Palestine.”
He continued: “While the world debates those words, we see the videos. We see the footage of parents pulling their children out of the rubble. Families erased. Devastation beyond our imagination. But somehow those words have become more controversial than the suffering that made them necessary.”
Check out more footage of the gig below.
The next of the sold-out ‘Free Palestine’ shows will take place in Paris on Thursday (October 29), held at the Accor Arena, before wrapping up at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Friday (October 30).
After he was kicked off Ed Sheeran’s tour, Macklemore defended his on-stage comments and also pledged his entire $1million earnings from the tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians.
For his first show since being removed from Sheeran’s tour, the rapper played a 17-song set at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on Thursday night (October 22).
“Being a human being in this moment is not complicated,” he said at the gig. “It is not political. It is human to have a heart, to watch others suffering and to say, ‘Not anymore!’ So I say, free Palestine. I say, free Palestine!”
He continued: “I say, free Sudan. I say, free Congo, Lebanon, to Haiti, to all the people that are affected by ICE in America, who are afraid to leave their houses. The message will always be love.”