Zach Bryan has broken the attendance record at Gillette Stadium after performing for 73,538 fans while wearing a “Free Palestine” shirt.
The country star set the record during the second of two concerts at the Foxborough, Massachusetts, venue on Saturday.
Gillette Stadium announced the achievement on social media, describing the concert as the most-attended event in the venue’s history.
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“Tonight, Zach Bryan broke the Gillette Stadium attendance record with 73,538 fans,” the stadium said.
Second night wearing pro-Palestinian clothing
Bryan wore the “Free Palestine” shirt during both nights of his With Heaven On Tour stop at the stadium.
The black shirt also displayed the words “An Appeal to Heaven” alongside an image of a pine tree.
The phrase and symbol date back to the American Revolutionary War and were previously featured on the official maritime flag of Massachusetts.
Several members of Bryan’s backing band also wore clothing displaying messages of support for Palestinians.
Drummer Nate Head reportedly wore a Palestine football-style shirt bearing the name of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in 2024.
The clothing was linked to Wear the Peace, a humanitarian organisation that raises money and awareness for people affected by conflicts, including Palestinians in Gaza.
Stadium pictures draw criticism
Some social media users noticed that photographs published by Gillette Stadium to celebrate the attendance record did not provide a clear view of Bryan’s shirt.
Alana Hadid, the sister of models Bella and Gigi Hadid, was among those who drew attention to the apparent omission.
The stadium has not publicly said whether the selection of photographs was connected to the political message on Bryan’s clothing.
Robert Kraft previously barred Macklemore
Bryan’s decision to wear the shirt attracted additional attention because Gillette Stadium is owned by billionaire Robert Kraft.
Kraft recently confirmed that rapper Macklemore would not be permitted to perform at the venue as an opening act on Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
Macklemore had delivered pro-Palestinian remarks during earlier appearances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he told the audience that people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank had not been forgotten.
Kraft said the decision was based on Macklemore’s recent conduct and what he described as a wider history of rhetoric and imagery that had offended members of the Jewish community.
Macklemore has acknowledged that antisemitism is real but argued that criticism of the Israeli government and support for Palestinian freedom should not be treated as hatred towards Jewish people.
Tour controversy spreads
The rapper’s removal prompted Sheeran’s remaining support acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, to withdraw from the tour in solidarity.
Irish band Beoga also left its role as Sheeran’s touring band.
Sheeran maintained that Macklemore’s removal was decided by promoters and venues rather than by him personally.
His two scheduled concerts at Gillette Stadium were later cancelled because of severe weather warnings linked to a nor’easter.
Macklemore subsequently announced a “Free Palestine” tour in London, Paris and Dublin, with proceeds going to organisations supporting Palestinians.
Against that backdrop, Bryan’s decision to display the same message during two sold-out concerts at Kraft’s stadium has intensified debate about political expression by musicians.
Gillette Stadium has not publicly responded to questions about Bryan’s clothing.
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