Ed Sheeran welcomes former Fray frontman Isaac Slade on stage amid Macklemore fallout
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Ed Sheeran welcomes former Fray frontman Isaac Slade on stage amid Macklemore fallout")
Ed Sheeran with Issac Slade Photograph: (X)
Ed Sheeran brought The Fray’s former frontman Isaac Slade on stage as the surprise opener for his Atlanta Loop Tour concert. Several clips and pictures from the concert have since then gone viral.
Ed Sheeran has been in the headlines for quite some time following the controversy surrounding Macklemore and the changes to his US tour lineup. Amid the ongoing situation, the singer surprised fans at his Atlanta concert by bringing former The Fray frontman Isaac Slade to the stage, where he delivered his hit tracks.
Issac Slade joins Ed Sheeran in Atlanta
Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour has gained a familiar face after Issac Slade stepped in as the surprise opening act for his Atlanta concert. Slade, best known as the former frontman and co-founder of The Fray, performed before Sheeran took the stage at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 3. His set included some of the band's best-known songs, including How to Save a Life and You Found Me.
Slade's appearance came after Sheeran had recently performed several shows without a traditional opening act. The singer had been dealing with a major change to his US touring lineup following the removal of rapper Macklemore.
Slade did more than simply perform his former band's biggest songs. During his Atlanta set, he spoke about the divisions surrounding the conflict in Gaza and encouraged people to seek a middle ground. He acknowledged that people have taken different positions on the issue before calling for a space where opposing perspectives can coexist. His comments came as Sheeran's tour continues to face scrutiny over the Macklemore controversy.
All about Issac Slade
Issac Slade is an American singer, musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the alternative rock band The Fray. Born in 1981 in Colorado and studied music and entertainment industry studies at the University of Colorado Denver.
He co-founded the band and led them to mainstream success with multi-platinum hits like How to Save a Life, Over My Head and You Found Me. He left the band in May 2022 to focus on his mental health after experiencing panic attacks. After moving to Vashon Island, where he operates a local record store, he launched a solo Songs I Know tour in late 2025.
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Why did Ed Sheeran's opening acts leave?
Macklemore was dropped from the Loop Tour in September after making pro-Palestinian comments during his performances at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. The decision triggered a wave of departures from Sheeran's touring team.
Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe were among the musicians who announced they would no longer participate in the remaining US dates. Members of Sheeran's backing band Beoga also withdrew. The artists said they were leaving in solidarity with Macklemore.
Sheeran subsequently addressed the controversy during his September 19 concert in Philadelphia. He said the decision to remove Macklemore had been made by the promoter and not by him, while also apologising to fans over how the situation had unfolded. The singer has maintained that he wants his concerts to remain spaces where people from different backgrounds can come together, while acknowledging the seriousness of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
