Few bands in modern country music have carved out a lane as distinctive and effortlessly feel-good as Zac Brown Band. Since breaking through in the late 2000s, the Georgia outfit have built a reputation on blending country, southern rock, folk and Caribbean influences into a sun-soaked, genre-fluid sound that feels tailor-made for open skies and long summer nights. Led by Zac Brown, their catalogue is packed with songs that celebrate escape, freedom and connection, from laid-back coastal anthems to soaring, emotionally rich ballads, all delivered with a musicianship and warmth that has made them one of the most reliable live acts in the genre.
Which makes their arrival at Hyde Park, in the middle of a UK heatwave, feel like perfect timing. Few artists can soundtrack a sun-drenched crowd quite like Zac Brown Band, whose music seems built for exactly this kind of moment: cold drinks in hand, blue skies overhead and tens of thousands of fans leaning into every note. As direct support to Garth Brooks, they brought not just pedigree but atmosphere, setting the tone for a day that feels as much like a festival escape as it does a landmark concert, and proving once again that when the sun is out, there’s simply no better band to have on stage.
Direct support slots can often be thankless affairs, but Zac Brown Band turned theirs into an hour-long masterclass in understanding both the audience and the moment. With temperatures soaring beyond 30 degrees and the early evening sun bathing BST Hyde Park in golden light, the Georgia outfit resisted the temptation to showcase every side of their expansive catalogue. Instead, they delivered exactly what the occasion demanded – sixty minutes of sunshine, beach vibes, flawless musicianship and some of country music’s finest songs.
Opening with ‘As She’s Walking Away’, the band immediately established the tone. Guitarist John Driskell Hopkins stepped forward to take the second verse as Zac Brown’s trademark harmonies filled Hyde Park. The song’s smooth, Eagles-inspired country rock floated effortlessly across the park, instantly demonstrating why this remains one of the tightest bands in modern music. Every harmony landed perfectly, every instrument found its place, and the atmosphere immediately became one of laid-back summer bliss. It was, perhaps, a surprising opener but when you consider that across the Atlantic in Nashville Alan Jackson was playing his farewell inside the Nissan stadium, ‘As She's Walking Away,' which Jackson himself guested on, was a fitting way to say goodbye to a Country music legend in the best way that the band knew how to do.
If the opener set the mood, ‘Toes’ cemented it. Playing the summertime anthem second proved to be an inspired decision, transforming Hyde Park into one giant beach party despite being in the heart of London. Tens of thousands of fans sang every word as the blazing sunshine only enhanced a song that has become synonymous with warm weather and carefree living. It was impossible not to smile.
Just as the set threatened to become entirely mellow, Zac Brown Band unleashed a ferocious rendition of ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’. The contrast was electrifying. Every member of the band attacked their instruments with relentless intensity, while fiddle player, Jimmy De Martini, stole the spotlight during Charlie Daniels’ iconic duel. Coming from a band proudly representing Georgia themselves, the performance carried extra authenticity, with drama, passion and astonishing musicianship erupting across the stage.
The mood shifted once again with ‘Hard Run’, taken from the new album ‘Love & Fear.' Returning to those familiar Eagles-esque harmonies, the song perfectly suited the golden evening sunshine, its delicate melodies providing the ideal comedown after the fireworks of ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia’. Rather than ending conventionally, the track evolved into another extended instrumental workout, with the band standing shoulder to shoulder, stretching the arrangement into an effortless jam that showcased just how instinctively these musicians play together.
One of the emotional high points of the set arrived next with ‘Highway 20 Ride’. The poignant story of divorce and fatherhood echoed around Hyde Park with remarkable intimacy despite the enormous crowd. Brown delivered the lyrics with genuine restraint, allowing the melody and heartfelt storytelling to carry the emotion rather than overpowering it. It was a reminder that beneath all the sunshine anthems lies one of country music’s finest songwriters.
The mood lifted once more through a glorious run of ‘Jump Right In’, ‘Keep Me In Mind’ and ‘I Ain’t Worried About It,' arguably the perfect sequence for one of London’s hottest days on record. Each song carried its own breezy, coastal charm, with the audience singing almost every line back to the stage. Brown even taught the crowd a playful call-and-response during ‘I Ain’t Worried About It’, reinforcing the carefree spirit that defined the entire performance. Songs about slowing down, relaxing and enjoying life felt especially fitting as thousands basked in the sunshine.
Throughout the performance, one fact became increasingly obvious: few bands in country music possess Zac Brown Band’s musical chemistry. They moved effortlessly between acoustic guitars, electric guitars, fiddle, harmonica, percussion and layered vocals, often segueing seamlessly from one song into the next without breaking the atmosphere. Years of playing together have created an almost telepathic understanding between the musicians, making even the most intricate passages appear completely effortless.
A plaintive fiddle introduced the deeply moving ‘Free’, a song whose significance has only grown since it was famously played aboard NASA’s Artemis I mission to wake astronauts during their journey around the Moon. Brown’s meditation on freedom, humanity and love resonated powerfully as couples wrapped their arms around one another and swayed gently in the evening light. Midway through, the band drifted beautifully into Van Morrison’s ‘Into the Mystic’, creating a dreamy, psychedelic detour before seamlessly returning to ‘Free’ for a breathtaking seven-minute centrepiece that held the audience spellbound.
Brown then paid tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett before launching into the glorious ‘Knee Deep’, the collaboration that became one of Buffett’s defining late-career moments and one of the Zac Brown Band's early accomplishments. With Buffett’s smiling face appearing on the giant video screens giving a thumbs-up at the song’s conclusion, it became one of the day’s most touching moments, celebrating the man who arguably pioneered the modern beach-country lifestyle that Zac Brown Band have so successfully carried forward.
If there was one song that truly reminded everyone why Zac Brown Band occupy such a special place in country music, it was ‘Colder Weather’. The roar that greeted its opening notes was deafening. The heartbreaking tale of love, distance and impossible choices remains one of the genre’s modern classics, and Hyde Park sang almost every word. Its emotional weight provided the perfect contrast to the largely carefree set that surrounded it.
Without missing a beat, the band then flowed straight into the inevitable finale of ‘Chicken Fried’. Hyde Park instantly erupted. The opening verse was virtually sung by the audience alone before Brown even reached the microphone, while the simple celebration of life’s everyday pleasures, cold beer on a Friday night, jeans that fit just right and appreciating the people around you, united tens of thousands of voices in one enormous singalong. Only Garth Brooks himself was able to generate a bigger crowd reaction later that evening.
What made this performance particularly impressive wasn’t simply the quality of the songs, but the intelligence behind the setlist. Zac Brown Band possess heavy rock songs, sprawling psychedelic jams and darker material, yet they understood precisely what this audience wanted. In one perfectly judged hour they leaned almost exclusively into the beach songs, the harmony-rich country rock, the feel-good anthems and the timeless classics that complemented both the blazing weather and the anticipation building for Garth Brooks.
As direct support acts go, this was close to flawless. Zac Brown Band didn’t simply fill the slot before one of country music’s biggest ever stars; they elevated the entire atmosphere of BST Hyde Park, transforming a scorching London afternoon into a slice of coastal America and rural tinged warm harmony vocals. It was an hour of exceptional musicianship, impeccable harmonies and songs that felt tailor-made for sunshine.
Sometimes the greatest skill an artist can possess is knowing exactly what the moment requires. Zac Brown Band understood the assignment completely and delivered one of the finest support sets Hyde Park is ever likely to see.
Setlist: 1. As She's Walking Away 2. Toes 3. The Devil Went Down to Georgia 4. Hard Run 5. Highway 20 Ride 6. Jump Right in 7. Keep Me in Mind 8. I Ain't Worried About It 9. Free – Into the Mystic 10. Knee Deep 11. Colder Weather 12. Chicken Fried Venue: Hyde Park, London Date: 27th June 2026
