From Guitar World · · 2m
Guitar Center's opener contest flooded with memes
A competition to find Ed Sheeran's opening act descended into chaos after his support lineup collapsed over Palestine.
In brief
A competition to find Ed Sheeran's opening act descended into chaos after his support lineup collapsed over Palestine. Guitar Center's legitimate competition got derailed when the submission site was flooded with non-musical content, reflecting broader tensions around Sheeran's tour. Originally reported by Guitar…
Guitar Center launches opener search
Guitar Center created the Open for Legends competition in August, inviting musicians to open for Ed Sheeran in Mexico City on December 11. Winners must be 18 or older, hold a valid U.S. passport, and submit original music in videos under five minutes.
Macklemore dropped from tour
On September 14, Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's Loop Tour after voicing support for Palestine at MetLife Stadium. Sheeran claimed billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, pressured other stadium owners to push for his removal.
Other acts withdraw in solidarity
Sheeran's backing band Beoga and support acts FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe all announced they were withdrawing from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. The mass exodus left Sheeran without his planned opening lineup.
Competition site flooded with memes
The Open for Legends submission website was inundated with memes and non-musical content supporting Palestine, with only a handful of genuine audition videos. Guitar Center has since removed the illegitimate entries to refocus the competition on serious musicians.
Macklemore pledges Palestine donation
Macklemore announced he would donate his entire $1 million net earnings from the tour to organizations supporting Palestinian people. He publicly challenged billionaire Robert Kraft to match the donation, though Kraft has not confirmed whether he will.
Kraft claims Sheeran asked for match
Robert Kraft stated that Sheeran asked him to match a $2 million donation for aid in the region. Kraft's statement came after Macklemore's public challenge, though the billionaire has not publicly confirmed he will make the donation.
Artists call for tour cancellation
Musicians including Roger Waters and Billy Bragg have publicly called for Sheeran to scrap the entire Loop Tour. The tour remains in limbo as Sheeran deals with the fallout from Macklemore's removal and the mass withdrawal of support acts.
What it means
Guitar Center's legitimate competition got derailed when the submission site was flooded with non-musical content, reflecting broader tensions around Sheeran's tour.
