Zach Bryan breaks Gillette Stadium record while wearing ‘Free Palestine’ shirt

Bryan's second show at the stadium drew 73,538 fans breaking Ed Sheeran's record of 71,723 set in 2023

Zach Bryan made headlines during both of his sold-out concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, wearing a “Free Palestine” shirt before breaking the venue’s attendance record on the second night.

Bryan performed his first concert at the stadium on Friday, October 2, where he wore a black T-shirt featuring the words “Free Palestine” alongside “An Appeal to Heaven” and a pine tree design. Members of his backing band also wore clothing supporting Palestine, including drummer Nate Head, whose jersey featured the name of Hind Rajab, the five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in January 2024.

The performance came weeks after rapper Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran’s tour following a dispute over his pro-Palestinian messaging. Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium, had criticised Macklemore’s actions and said they were deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community. Macklemore responded by saying that antisemitism is real but that criticism of Israel and support for Palestine should not be conflated with hatred of Jewish people.

Bryan returned to Gillette Stadium for his second concert on Saturday, October 3. The second show drew 73,538 fans, setting a new attendance record for the venue. The previous record of 71,723 had been set by Sheeran in 2023. Bryan also wore the “Free Palestine” shirt again during the second concert.

The two concerts were part of Bryan’s With Heaven on Tour, which is scheduled to conclude on October 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama. The Gillette Stadium shows marked the final two concerts of his tour before its closing performance.

The shows also followed Macklemore’s announcement of his own Free Palestine tour, with proceeds set to support charities aiding Palestinians. Macklemore had previously pledged $1 million from his earnings from Sheeran’s tour to pro-Palestinian charities and asked Kraft to match the donation. Kraft later announced a $2 million contribution towards humanitarian aid.