Beoga on quitting Ed Sheeran’s tour: ‘You have to hold your friends accountable’
The Irish band Beoga and several other artists withdrew from Ed Sheeran's tour in solidarity with rapper Macklemore. Macklemore was removed from the tour after venue owners objected to his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the ongoing tension between artistic expression, political activism, and corporate venue management in the music industry.
T wenty-five years is a long time to be together in a band. You couldn’t stay the course, according to Niamh Dunne, unless you genuinely enjoyed being in a room together and making music. That’s something celebrity plays no role in.
“We have always been low-key,” Beoga ’s singer and violinist says as she sips a black coffee with Eamon Murray, the band’s bodhrán player. “We’re not pushing ourselves for the exposure or the limelight.”
Dunne and Murray are friendly, unassuming and good company. Beoga are not a band who sought to make a splash, as their manager knows well, Dunne says, with a wry laugh. What they are is a band who have to follow their principles, as became clear last month.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in