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Zach Bryan, Islington Assembly Hall, London live review

It’s safe to say that Zach Bryan is something of a music industry sensation. Since he first appeared on the scene with his 2019 debut album ‘DeAnn’, his star has absolutely rocketed, backed by a prolific output and being just as outspoken in life as he is in his lyrics. Fans in the UK have been clamouring for him to play over here and now, at long last, he’s finally crossed the pond for a short tour, including two sold-out nights at Islington Assembly Hall in London.

Arriving on stage around 9pm with his four-piece band to the strains of Kings Of Leon’s ‘Back Down South’, Bryan kicked off his set with ‘Open The Gate’ from his 2022 double album ‘American Heartbreak’. The song really showed off the depth in his vocal as well as some serious belt, and the driving rhythm provided a great showcase for him and his band’s musical talents (shout out to fiddle player Lucas who was a particular highlight of the night!). From the off the packed crowd sang along at top volume – and didn’t let up for the whole show, with Bryan regularly breaking off to let them sing alone – and roared their approval at the end after the acapella final verse.

From then on it was a breakneck journey through an hour and a half of music, with Bryan frequently thanking the crowd and commenting on their loudness. He encouraged them to join in and take the roof off the place throughout, particularly on the likes of ‘Oklahoma City’ and the stomping ‘Condemned’, whilst also asking them to put down their phones and be in the moment on ‘God Speed’. Overall he came across as a very engaged performance and that paid off in spades, with the audience hanging off his every word throughout. Elsewhere, he showed off his storytelling skills on new song ‘Deep Satin’ with its details of the New York streets, which also featured one of the many moments where he and the band stepped onto boxes alongside the stage to jam out with the crowd.

One thing which stood out to me during the show was how much energy Bryan and his band have together, with more mellow recorded tracks taking on a new life. ‘Highways Boys’ was an early example of this, with a more punchy feeling than the recorded version, whilst the strong connection between them all could be seen throughout as he frequently roamed the stage to jam out with them (particularly his head movements as guitarist Nate played the closing riff of ‘Starved’) and gave them opportunities to showcase their skills on the likes of ‘Quittin’ Time’. It elevates what are already outstanding songs and created a moment that made you feel like you were truly immersed in the show and swept away on a ride that wasn’t going to let go.

For me one particular highlight came midway through the show, in a six-song section that kicked off with fan favourite ‘Fifth Of May’ (and the now-obligatory crowd singalong) before launching into a rollicking rendition of ‘Heading South’ and then moving to ‘The Good I’ll Do’, which featured an acapella intro and the audience clapping along. That was followed with ‘Something In The Orange’ – with everyone in the crowd joining in as Bryan showed off his guitar playing skills – as well as a clapalong to the vivid, bittersweet ‘Oklahoma Smokeshow’ and ‘Tishomingo’, which took on a new feeling with the addition of drums and fiddle as Bryan dropped to his knees and bent over backwards whilst singing and playing. I felt this passage really showcased Bryan at his best – both in terms of his talents as a songwriter and a performer – and from the reaction around me it seemed to convert even the least certain audience members to just why he’s become so beloved.

Bryan closed the main part of his set with a fast-paced, rattling performance of ‘Heavy Eyes’ before finishing with ‘Burn, Burn, Burn’, the title track of this tour. I felt that really summed up the performance for me, with its anthemic feel and powerful vocals from Bryan, as well as him and his bandmates cracking open their beers on stage as they all sang together. After telling the crowd “I love you more than you know”, he made his exit briefly before the chants and demands for “one more song!” brought him and the band back on stage to play ‘Revival’. Throughout the whole show, Bryan had promised to blow the roof off, and that’s exactly what they did then. Each band member had the opportunity to play a solo, with Bryan encoring the chorus repeatedly in increasing crescendo. It had a real classic rock feel about, enhanced by Bryan and his band cheersing (and spilling their beers!) on stage, the crowd jumping along and steam practically coming off Lucas’ fiddle, before everyone rose to their feet to give them a standing ovation at the end. It was an absolutely incredible moment and I think it’s safe to say it sent us all away on a high – in the words of Bryan himself, “hope everyone had just as good a time as we have”.

Overall Zach Bryan absolutely lived up to the hype and anticipation. It was truly one of those nights where the relationship between artist and fans is on full show, with Bryan feeding off the energy of the crowd and absolutely giving it his all on stage. He showed his amazing lyrical skills as well as his impressive vocals and top-notch musicianship throughout, and it all made for a spectacular night that will live long in many country fans’ memory. If you’re seeing him tonight in London, you’re in for a treat; if you’re not, I’m pretty sure that given the reception he got (and it was very well deserved despite his protestations), he’ll be back here soon and hopefully playing much bigger venues.

Set list: 1. Open The Gate 2. God Speed 3. Deep Satin 4. Quittin’ Time 5. Highway Boys 6. Fifth Of May 7. Heading South 8. The Good I’ll Do 9. Dawns 10. Something In The Orange 11. Oklahoma Smokeshow 12. Tishomingo 13. Snow 14. Condemned 15. Starved 16. Heavy Eyes 17. Burn, Burn, Burn Encore: 18. Revival Performance date: 24th April 2023

Laura Cooney
Laura Cooney
Laura has been writing for Entertainment Focus since 2016, mainly covering music (particularly country and pop) and television, and is based in South West London.

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It's safe to say that Zach Bryan is something of a music industry sensation. Since he first appeared on the scene with his 2019 debut album 'DeAnn', his star has absolutely rocketed, backed by a prolific output and being just as outspoken in life...Zach Bryan, Islington Assembly Hall, London live review