Ed Sheeran’s return to Gillette Stadium was an event much anticipated by the Massachusetts public; however, it has now fallen victim to the weather. The two dates for his LOOP  concerts in Foxborough — scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26 — have been called off after the nor’easter moved to Massachusetts, expected to bring heavy rain, damaging winds and floods across the region. Melissa Touring Group announced the cancellation on social media, explaining that the decision was based on safety concerns for the public. The storm was expected to have nationwide fallout with power outages and fallen trees, posing a significant risk to concert goers, “The major concern was, you know, routes of travel,” said Assistant Fire Chief in Foxborough, Thomas C. Kenvin in an interview with WCVB Channel 5 Boston. Aerial footage from WCVB’s Sky5 also showed the workers dismantling the stage on Friday morning after just starting to set it up for the show later that day. 

The cancellation of these shows followed two major controversies after Macklemore and various other opening acts pulled out of the concert, citing political misalignment with the stadium owner. Patriots owner Robert Kraft of the Kraft Group, who owns Gillette Stadium, objected to the rapper’s pro-palestine remarks during the New Jersey concert at Met-Life stadium. Many individuals were outraged by this act, sparking a broader conversation about political speech and concert organization. Macklemore pushed back publicly over his stance, with Kraft equally defending his reasoning for the removal. Fans demanded a refund after this change was announced. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office called for a refund that was finalized on Sept. 24 and posted on the Attorney General's Office’s Instagram account. The demand led Ticketmaster to issue fans a refund for the concert even before the storm came into effect. Nonetheless, the storm did add a layer of disruption over the pre-existing controversy amid the tour that was supposed to be a homecoming of sorts for Ed Sheeran. 

The venue has said that it will initiate refunds through the original purchasing sites. Those who bought their tickets through Ticketmaster will be automatically credited with the refund and do not have to initiate a request at all. The timeline of these refunds has not been disclosed yet. The cancellation in part also affects the broader stance of Ed Sheeran in the United States. Sheeran said, “I have so much history at this place.” He stated, “I really think that this is my favorite place to play in the United States,” when referencing Gillette Stadium. It was also one of the first NFL stadiums that he had ever headlined solo in and a place he has a “real connection” with. 

As of now, there is no confirmation of rescheduling for the shows and it is not clear whether Sheeran will have make-up dates before his Loop Tour moves to the next stop in Atlanta, Georgia on Oct. 3. Fans looking for a second chance at the show might need to keep an eye out for the official announcements from Gillette Stadium and Ed Sheeran’s team in the coming days, although the schedule leaves little room for more slots. For now, this concert, already unsettled by lineup upheaval, public dispute and now further sidelined by the nor’easter storm, is expected to remain cancelled while Ed Sheeran’s loop tour continues. Fans now await his next performance at the venue and hope for it to be soon.