Zach Bryan made a quiet statement at Gillette Stadium on October 2. The singer walked onstage wearing a “Free Palestine” shirt but did not speak about the message during his set. His appearance came less than a month after Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour following a dispute involving his support for Palestine.
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What did Zach Bryan wear at Gillette Stadium?
Bryan performed the first of two sold-out shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Friday. According to the concert coverage, the 30-year-old singer wore a “Free Palestine” T-shirt during the performance.
He did not make a verbal statement about Palestine from the stage. Some members of his band also wore clothing showing support for Palestine, as per a report by In Touch and Boston.com.
The moment came soon after controversy surrounding Macklemore, who had been scheduled to open for Ed Sheeran during the singer’s Loop tour.
Macklemore, 43, performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4. During his set, he told the crowd, “Free Palestine.”
“I want those words to be loud and clear so the people all the way in Gaza, to the occupied West Bank, know that we have not forgotten about them,” he continued, in part.
He also performed “Hind’s Hall,” his 2024 song about Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2024.
Why is Robert Kraft part of the story?
Robert Kraft, 85, is the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium. After learning about Macklemore’s comments and activism, Kraft told Sheeran that the tour would not be welcome at the stadium if Macklemore remained part of the opening lineup.
Macklemore was eventually dropped from the tour.
That made Bryan’s appearance at the same venue notable. He did not mention Macklemore or Kraft during the show, but his shirt carried a message that was difficult to miss.
The Boston concert review also focused heavily on Bryan’s performance itself. The singer brought a large group of musicians onto a stage placed in the middle of the field, with sections of the stage extending in four directions.
The review described the sound as powerful but sometimes too similar from song to song. “Overtime,” “Dawns” and “Nine Ball” were among the songs performed, while “Hey Driver,” “Appetite” and “Pink Skies” offered changes in pace.
The concert ended with Bryan’s extended version of “Revival,” which gave each band member a solo and brought the crowd back into the show after a quieter moment following the main set.
Gabriella Rose performed before Gregory Alan Isakov. The review said Rose faced unexplained technical problems, while the stadium setting made her softer country-rock sound difficult to hear.
Zach Bryan is scheduled to perform another show at Gillette Stadium on October 3. His With Heaven On Tour is then set to end with a final show at Auburn University in Alabama on October 10.
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FAQs
Did Zach Bryan speak about Palestine?No. He wore the shirt but did not make a verbal statement.
Why was Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour?
Robert Kraft objected to Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian activism, and Macklemore was later dropped.
