Zach Bryan - BST Hyde Park 2025 - Live Review

Zach Bryan Brings Oklahoma Heartbreak and Triumph to BST Hyde Park

American Express presents BST Hyde Park 2025 has become a cornerstone of the London summer, transforming the iconic Royal Park into a world-class festival destination. For its second day, a sea of cowboy hats and checkered shirts descended for a bill topped by country music’s brightest new star, Zach Bryan, proving that the genre has a powerful and passionate home in the UK capital.

The Great Oak Stage was buzzing all day with an impressive lineup of talent. Georgia’s own Willow Avalon charmed the early crowds with her heartfelt stories, LA rockers Mt. Joy delivered an uplifting set including a brilliant cover of "Teenage Dirtbag," and British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin brought her beautiful acoustic sound to the main stage.

As the main support, Dublin’s own Dermot Kennedy delivered a performance of breathtaking power. Armed with a catalogue of deeply emotive anthems, he had the 65,000-strong crowd captivated, shifting from hushed reverence during his more vulnerable moments to massive, passionate singalongs for fan favourites like "Outnumbered" and "Power Over Me." Humble and clearly ecstatic to be there, Kennedy proved he is an artist capable of commanding the biggest stages with ease.

But the night belonged to Zach Bryan. Arriving on stage in his trademark black Ozzy Osbourne tank top, he declared himself the “luckiest man in the world” to be there, and for the next two hours, he played with a raw passion that connected instantly. Backed by a phenomenal, multi-instrumental band complete with strings and a powerful brass section, his brand of heartfelt, story-driven country felt both epic and intensely personal.

From the opening chords of "Overtime," the crowd sang back every word. The set was packed with highlights: the lap-steel guitar leading into a stunning "Something in the Orange," a world-first live performance of "Streets of London," a track recorded just days earlier in the capital, and a truly special moment when he invited 23-year-old fan Ollie Hawkins on stage to perform "Heading South."

The collaboration everyone was waiting for arrived when Bryan brought Dermot Kennedy back out for a stunning duet of "Hey Driver." Announcing Kennedy as “one of the best fucking singers in the world,” the two created a magical moment of mutual respect and shared talent. The main set concluded with a powerful trio of "Burn, Burn, Burn," the party anthem "Quittin’ Time," and an explosive, big-band version of "Revival," capped off by a spectacular firework display over the park. It was a triumphant night for country music in the heart of London, and another highlight of a BST Hyde Park series that still has so much to offer, with headliners including Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, Sabrina Carpenter, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, and Jeff Lynne’s ELO still to come.