Zach Bryan closed his“With Heaven on Tour”run at Gillette Stadium with a statement nobody missed. Drummer Nate Head wore a white-and-tan striped Palestine soccer jersey featuring“Hind Rajab”and the number 5 on the back, while Bryan took the stage in a black“Free Palestine”T-shirt. Guitarist Noah Le Gros wore a green Palestine jersey in support. There was no speech and no explanation, just the clothes on a stadium stage.
Hind Rajab was a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in January 2024, and her name has become a symbol worn intentionally by supporters. The moment landed at a venue with its own history: about a month before, Gillette owner Robert Kraft barred Macklemore from performing after the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks at Ed Sheeran’s tour. Kraft later pledged $2 million toward Palestinian relief, and Macklemore has since announced a“Free Palestine Tour”with dates in Dublin, Paris and London.
This show was night one of two closing the tour, so fans in Foxborough got a finale with extra weight attached. Artists using stadium stages for political expression is its own ongoing debate, and this one landed right at the center of it.
Do you think artists should bring politics into their concerts, or keep the show about the music? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.