Zach Bryan took the stage at Gillette Stadium on Friday night wearing a black“Free Palestine”shirt, and his band wore matching shirts, according to TMZ. The choice of venue made the statement land harder: Gillette is owned by the Kraft Group, led by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who reportedly helped remove Macklemore from Ed Sheeran’s remaining U.S. tour dates weeks earlier after Macklemore said“Free Palestine”onstage and performed his protest song“Hind’s Hall.”
Bryan did not address the shirt from the stage. No speech, no explanation, just the shirt and the matching band, which is very on-brand for an artist who has clashed with powerful figures before over his song“Bad News”and the ICE raids, drawing criticism from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. By letting the visuals do the talking, Bryan kept the concert the story while still making a point that was impossible to miss.
He returns to Gillette Stadium on Saturday for the second night of the run, which means the big question now is whether anything changes: does the venue respond, does Bryan address it, or does he simply wear it again? Given his track record, don’t expect him to back down quietly.
What do you think: should artists make statements like this at stadium shows, or keep politics off the stage? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.