Ed Sheeran takes the stage Saturday at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field for the first show of his Loop Tour since a Macklemore fallout blew up his lineup entirely, according to the Associated Press. As of Friday, his website listed no replacement openers, meaning Sheeran may perform largely solo.

The controversy traces back to September 5, when Macklemore shouted "Free Palestine" during back-to-back shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The rapper was subsequently dropped from the tour, a move Sheeran says came from promoters — reportedly after pressure from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft — rather than from him personally. Macklemore responded by pledging to donate $1 million in earnings from the tour to organizations supporting Palestinians, while Kraft and Sheeran have each separately committed to $2 million in donations, per Rolling Stone.

Every Opener Walks

What began as a one-act removal snowballed into a full walkout. Replacement openers Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, along with Finneas and Irish folk band Beoga, all withdrew from the remaining dates in solidarity with Macklemore, according to NPR — another newsroom's own count of exactly which acts walked and in what order tracks the same fallout. Sheeran addressed the backlash directly, saying he'd "spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge," and arguing that fans "don't come to his shows to hear about these issues."

"Silence during a genocide is not neutral," children's YouTube star Ms. Rachel wrote on Instagram, one of several celebrities — including Hannah Einbinder — who publicly criticized Sheeran's handling of the split, per Al Jazeera.

The fallout has followed Sheeran to Philadelphia. Pro-Palestinian groups, including the Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z, plan to rally near the stadium Saturday afternoon, with speakers from Writers Against the War on Gaza expected to address the crowd, according to PhillyVoice. Philadelphia police have told local outlets they're preparing a "sizable" presence and are in contact with Sheeran's team ahead of the show.

Ticket prices for the date reportedly softened in the run-up to Saturday, and it remains unclear whether Sheeran will bring in any last-minute support act or perform the full set alone. Whatever happens onstage, Saturday's concert has already become as much a referendum on the tour's handling of the controversy as it is a music event — one being watched closely by fans, protesters and the industry alike for how, or whether, the Loop Tour's remaining dates move forward.