The Public Arena

A couple weeks ago, I took my daughter and a few of her friends to see a country artist named Zach Bryan. I thought Bryan was playing the indoor Oakland Arena (which is an impressive venue to fill). It wasn’t until the drive to the concert that I realized Zach Bryan was playing what would be his first outdoor stadium show. It’s a testament to the new ways that music is marketed and shared that an artist you may not have even heard of can fill a Bay Area stadium with cowboy-hat wearing, teen-aged girls who know every word to every song. It’s especially impressive that Zach Bryan could pull it off this summer when many bands that you definitely have heard of are suffering lackluster concert sales or even having the cancel arena tours. What gives? It’s not totally clear, but as music exec (and notable SF Giants fan) Jordan Kurland explains, the post-pandemic drive to go out a lot may have cooled. “Today, ‘revenge spending is over. People [were] just spending money on experiences because we didn’t have that for two years. I think people are having to be more cautious with their money.” So, you wanna be a rock and roll star who’s on the road again, or a Jukebox Hero, or a Shooting Star playing in a Travelin’ Band, a cowboy on a steel horse, or stay just a little bit longer…well, it might be time to Turn the Page. Stereogum looks at the many factors contributing to the new reality rocking touring bands. The Curious Case Of The Underselling Arena Tours. Several times during the Oakland Coliseum show, Zach Bryan thanked the huge crowd and called the experience one of the best nights of his life. There are many bands who would advise him to enjoy the moment.