Over 80,000 people gathered in Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday night to watch country music artist Zach Bryan, comedian Shane Gillis and opener Dermot Kennedy. The concert was the stadium’s first since Billy Joel performed in 2022.
To pull off such a large-scale event, the University Operations, Events, and Safety team coordinated transportation with the Notre Dame Police Department and transformed the stadium into a stage with floor seating. The preparations were largely successful, according to executive director of the events team, Lee Sicinski.
“Saturday night, Notre Dame Stadium proved to be more than a venue for winning football, it was the setting for a great night of music, with more than 80,000 people enjoying beautiful weather and great music in a historic setting. From our law enforcement partners who managed traffic, to our vendors who served through the evening and events personnel who attended to every logistical detail, it was an enjoyable evening for all and the perfect tune-up for our season opener with Texas A&M,” Sicinski wrote in a statement to The Observer.
Irish artist Dermot Kennedy opened the concert, performing hits such as “Outnumbered” and a rendition of Irish ode “Carrickfergus.” He thanked the University for raising the Irish flag in the stadium, sharing the sentiment — “We’re all home.”
Gillis took the stage after Kennedy and spoke for about half an hour, delivering raunchy jokes on subjects ranging from high school football to a childhood trip to Notre Dame.
“This is totally inappropriate for this venue,” Gillis quipped at one point.
Kirra Halfman, a Saint Mary’s sophomore, saw Zach Bryan last summer but thought that having Shane Gillis as an opener set the experience apart. “I feel like the atmosphere was just a lot better at this one. I really like how we had Shane Gillis as an opener … knowing he was such a huge fan [of Notre Dame], it was cool to watch somebody fulfill their dreams,” Halfman said.
“I like Shane Gillis and most of his jokes but I think he's at his best when he's like making fun of himself, I'm not a fan of 'mean jokes' and I feel like being mean doesn’t align with Catholic values,” sophomore Andrew Severino said.
When asked if they pre-approved Gillis’s set or Zach Bryan’s setlist, the University declined to comment.
After taking the stage, Bryan performed hits from “I remember everything” to “Pink Skies.” Between songs, he expressed how great of a dream it had been for him to play at Notre Dame.
Many Notre Dame students were big fans of Bryan’s music before the concert. Antonio Congelos, a sophomore in Duncan Hall, said that knowing the lyrics to Bryan’s songs enhanced his experience. “It really is hard to articulate just how special that concert was. Being in the stadium where I hold so many memories, surrounded with my closest friends, screaming the lyrics of an artist I love so much was simply life changing,” he wrote in an email.
Junior Meghan Gruber celebrated her 20th birthday at the concert and echoed Congelo’s sentiment.
“The Zach Bryan concert was such a perfect way to celebrate my birthday! He made the night unforgettable, and it was even better being surrounded by friends who made the experience so special. It wasn’t just a concert, it was a memory I’ll hold onto for a long time,” she wrote via email.
Even students who were not previously familiar with Bryan’s music reflected positively upon the concert. “I’m not a fan of country music, so it was my first time hearing most of the songs. I thought he was a good performer but most of the songs sounded the same. Even though I’m not a huge Zach Bryan fan, being in the stadium and spending time with my friends was really cool,” junior Olivia Quinn wrote.
Multiple students noted the show wasn’t their typical concert experience, with an environment filled with fellow students and Bryan changing his lyrics to include “Notre Dame” and “South Bend.”
“Honestly it was better than [the Zach Bryan concert] that I went to last summer … seeing it in the stadium was just a completely different experience,” Saint Mary’s sophomore Molly Lanahan said.
Bryan finished his set by playing his hit song, “Revival.” He spotlighted the members of his band and brought out Kennedy for the final verse. As the song finished, a firework show erupted over the stadium.
