Zach Bryan has set a new attendance record at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. On Saturday, Oct. 3, the 30-year-old country star drew 73,538 fans during the second of two back-to-back shows on his With Heaven on Tour, according to the venue.
"Tonight, Zach Bryan broke the Gillette Stadium attendance record with 73,538 fans!" Gillette Stadium wrote on Instagram, sharing several crowd photos from the concert. The venue lists its capacity at 64,628, though seating arrangements can shift depending on the event.
Bryan had already made headlines the night before, on Friday, Oct. 2, when he performed wearing a black T-shirt that read "Free Palestine." According to TMZ, members of his band wore matching shirts during the show. Bryan did not comment on the shirts during either performance.
The moment arrived weeks after Macklemore was pulled from the remaining U.S. dates of Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour following pro-Palestinian remarks he made during concerts on Sept. 4 and 5 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. His removal came after a petition from the Israeli-American Council called for him to be dropped from the tour, and tour promoter Messina Touring Group said several venues indicated they would not host Macklemore. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, also weighed in on the controversy, saying he felt a responsibility to speak out when he believed a line had been crossed on antisemitism, while acknowledging that Palestinian suffering is real.
Sheeran's Loop Tour had originally been scheduled to play Gillette Stadium on Sept. 25 and 26, but both shows were canceled due to severe weather.
This is not the first time Bryan has waded into political territory through his music. In October, a teaser for his song "Bad News," which references ICE raids, drew criticism from the Department of Homeland Security and the White House. Bryan pushed back, saying the song reflected perspectives from both sides of the political aisle and encouraging fans not to let social media divide them. The track later appeared on his album With Heaven on Top, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in January.
Photo: Katrina Paisano, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons
