Way back in Aug. of 2023, Zach Bryan announced that he would be going on tour, The Quittin Time Tour to be exact. Naturally, as a big-time fan, I was super excited. Unfortunately, though, my freshman year of college started and I became way too invested in football games, dining halls, and Stats 1100 to think about any concerts (sorry Zach).
Flash forward to June of this past summer, when I hadn’t even thought about the Quittin Time Tour because I assumed that it was long gone, I got a call from my boyfriend who nonchalantly told me he had bought tickets for us to see Zach Bryan and I (not so nonchalantly) started crying. So, with much joy and excitement, I found myself at Gillette Stadium on July 17 watching my favorite artist perform. However, since I believe every experience in life, even the most magical ones, has ups and downs, I want to dish out some of the highlights and lowlights of the night.
HIGHLIGHTS
#1. Zach Himself (duh)
I have to start with this highlight because it’s by far the most important. Throughout the concert, I was completely shocked by Zach’s stage presence. I had no idea he was such a fun, kind, and appreciative man during his concerts, made evident by his appreciation of the fans and his humor with his band members. He even invited Dave Portnoy up on stage at the end and held a fan’s baby, all fun little twists that kept his fans entertained until the very end. I especially loved how grateful he is for his fans, which makes him seem more relatable in a way. At the end of the day, our favorite artists are just normal people who just happen to be really good at singing!
#2. All the Details
By the end of the night, I was as awestruck by the details of the concert as the actual concert itself. All the lights, smoke, crowd interactions, and videos played felt like an entire experience on its own without even adding the amazing music and band. My personal favorite details were the string lights that hung over the stage and the pit area because I love fairy lights, and they were essentially fairy lights on steroids. I also can’t forget about the fireworks at the end of the show while the song “Revival” was finishing up, a wonderful way to end the night off right!
#3. The Fans
If anyone is like me and grew up in a small ‘country’ town frequenting county fairs, you’ll be right at home at a Zach Bryan concert! I honestly think this concert might’ve broken the record for the amount of cowboy hats and boots in a single place at one time. I couldn’t help but love not only all the outfits I saw throughout the night but also the various types of people. So many different kinds of people, all connected by a love of music, is one of my favorite things to see at any concert I’ve been to!
LOWLIGHTS
#1. The Parking
Gillette Stadium’s seating capacity is 64,628. So understandably, the sheer amount of people at this concert was a little overwhelming, to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing all the tailgates and cowboy hats while parking and walking into the stadium because it got me even more excited, but this excitement turned into a nightmare when it was time to leave. I think it took us 4 hours in total to just leave the stadium, and then we had to drive another hour to get home. Don’t get me wrong, I would’ve waited 8 hours in that parking lot, but the traffic congestion is just something to keep in mind for any big concert. You should definitely plan accordingly!
#2. The Merch Prices
Like every concert-goer, I had a plan to get cute merch at the concert. The night of, I happily ran up to the concession stand with a beaming smile on my face, which quickly faded when I saw the prices. $60 for a T-shirt? $100 for a sweatshirt? I just knew those prices weren’t affordable and I was bummed. My boyfriend, seeing how upset I was, suggested that I go online and see if I could find any apparel for cheaper. I took his words of wisdom and found a cute Zach Bryan tee for only $30 which I proudly wear now! So pro-tip: you don’t always have to buy that overpriced T-shirt and wait forever in the concession lines.
#3. The Seating
Because Zach Bryan is super popular now, my boyfriend and I could only afford nosebleed seats (which I cannot complain about because my boyfriend did all the buying). Fair warning though: nosebleed seats for many venues are very high up and are often narrow. As someone who has a fear of heights, looking down at rows and rows of people and feeling on top of the world (metaphorically and physically) was a little anxiety-inducing. I thankfully ended up being fine because I was distracted by bigger and better things. So don’t worry if you happen to get nosebleed seats to a concert and you’re afraid of heights, just prepare yourself the best you can!
CONCLUSION
With the highlights and the lowlights all accounted for, Zach Bryan’s Quittin Time Tour was an overall amazing experience! Make sure to remember the lessons I took from the show for your next concert excursion!