Zach Bryan took the stage at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts wearing a shirt that read “Free Palestine”.
The Grammy-winning singer wore the shirt during Friday night’s stop of his With Heaven on Tour at the venue, which is owned by US businessman Robert Kraft.
Context at Gillette Stadium
Bryan’s appearance comes after Kraft, described as a pro-Israel billionaire, recently moved to keep Macklemore from performing there as part of an Ed Sheeran tour, tied to Macklemore’s pro-Palestine remarks.
That backdrop put fresh attention on Bryan’s onstage wardrobe choice at the Kraft-owned venue.
What happened on Sheeran’s tour
Sheeran dropped Macklemore from his tour last month amid an outcry around the opener’s onstage “Free Palestine” remarks.
Sheeran, who has aimed to remain publicly neutral on the issue, later released a statement saying it was the “promoter’s decision” after Kraft assembled several of the tour venues to give him an ultimatum.
Following the statement, fellow tour openers Finneas, Aaron Rowe, and Lukas Graham dropped out of the tour, along with Sheeran’s backing band Beoga.
Another Bryan show Saturday
Bryan has another performance scheduled at the Massachusetts venue on Saturday night, and it remains to be seen if Kraft will pull the plug.
Nor'easter cancellations
Bryan’s Gillette Stadium shows follow Sheeran being forced to cancel his Gillette dates last weekend amid a nor’easter headed for Boston, despite caving to Kraft’s demands.
Macklemore’s Free Palestine Tour
Macklemore announced the Free Palestine Tour last week, which is “supporting the Palestinian people and movement”.
The run goes 10/26–10/30 in Dublin, Paris, and London. He later said the tour “sold out immediately.”
The latest
Bryan’s shirt arrived amid ongoing fallout from Kraft’s campaign against Macklemore and the changes it triggered across Sheeran’s tour lineup.