Macklemore’s Free Palestine Tour starts later this month, but one major question remains: who will join him on stage?
Traders on prediction markets like Kalshi can trade event contracts on this topic and try to predict which artists will perform during the tour, which will begin with three European shows.
Macklemore will play Dublin’s 3Arena on October 26th, Paris’ Accor Arena on October 29th, and the OVO Arena Wembley in London on October 30th.
More dates, including US shows, are expected to follow. The shows are officially promoted as Macklemore & Friends: Free Palestine, but the additional performers haven’t been announced yet.
That leaves traders looking for clues about who those “friends” could be.
What Do Kalshi Traders Think So Far?
Trading for this particular market on Kalshi is still fairly light, with just $310 in total volume as of October 14. This means that prices can move quickly as more traders enter the market or new information about the lineup emerges.
Kneecap currently stands out with a 48% chance for the Irish rap group, although Yes is currently priced at $0.18 and No at $0.90. The group would make sense as a possible guest, since it has been outspoken in its support for Palestine.
Ana Tijoux is further down the market, with Kashi currently giving the Chilean-French rapper an 11% chance of joining the tour. She has also been a vocal supporter of Palestine, which explains why traders might see a connection to the tour.
A handful of other artists, including Dua Lipa, Hozier, CMAT, Fontaines D.C. and Massive Attack, currently sit around 10%, but this will likely change once trading volume increases.
Finneas Has a Clear Connection to Macklemore
Finneas is one of the more interesting names to watch. He was due to appear on Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour but pulled out after Macklemore was removed from the lineup.
Finneas publicly said that artists should not be silenced for speaking up for oppressed people and confirmed that he stood with Palestine.
That doesn’t mean he’ll appear on Macklemore’s tour, but it gives traders a clear reason to consider him. Macklemore has said he contacted artists who have publicly supported Palestinians and were willing to use their platforms to do so. Finneas fits that description closely.
Could Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe or Beoga Appear?
Three other possible guests have a similar connection. Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Irish band Beoga all left Sheeran’s tour following Macklemore’s removal.
Lukas Graham spoke out against wealthy people having the power to control public discussion, while Aaron Rowe also made his support for Palestinians clear.
Beoga has an especially interesting connection to the Dublin show. The Northern Irish band said its members were committed to supporting Palestine when they announced their decision to leave Sheeran’s tour.
With the Free Palestine Tour beginning in Dublin, that makes Beoga a logical name for traders to watch. None of the four former Sheeran acts has been officially confirmed for Macklemore’s shows, however.
Other Artists Have Publicly Supported the Tour
The possible lineup isn’t limited to artists who left Sheeran’s tour. Other musicians have publicly shown support for Macklemore’s announcement, including supportive reactions from artists like Tones and I, Paloma Faith and Kneecap, while Macklemore has said he has been contacting musicians who have previously spoken publicly about Palestine.
That creates a much wider group of possible guests. For now though, the lack of an official lineup is exactly what makes the Kalshi market interesting.
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What Is Macklemore’s Free Palestine Tour?
Macklemore announced the tour after he was removed from the remaining US dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
The rapper had used his earlier performances to voice support for Palestinians and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall.” After his removal, Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Row and Beoga all withdrew from Sheeran’s tour.
Macklemore then announced his own concerts, saying he had spent the previous week contacting other artists about taking part.
The first three shows quickly sold out. All proceeds will go to organizations supporting Palestinians, including the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Gaza Soup Kitchen, and several other humanitarian and advocacy groups.
