Zach Bryan & Dermot Kennedy Ignite Two-Night Spectacle at BST Hyde Park

Photo by @ISHASHAHPHOTOGRAPHY

BST Hyde Park- London’s iconic summer festival held annually in Hyde Park - played host to a back-to-back country-tinged crossover triumph as Oklahoma troubadour Zach Bryan headlined two consecutive sold‑out nights (June 28–29), with Ireland’s powerhouse Dermot Kennedy opening both shows in style.

Dermot Kennedy, delivered stirring support sets that set the tone each evening. He drew massive crowds to the Great Oak Stage, commanding air with their favourite “Power Over Me”, “Outnumbered”, “Rome”, and the anthemic “One Life”.

With raw vocal passion and natural stage presence, he didn’t just open - he headlined the moment, coaxing thunderous singalongs and leaving the audience breathless for more .

Zach Bryan exploded onto the stage both nights, his raw emotion and warm charisma amplified in Hyde Park’s open-air setting. Dressed in his signature black tank and wielding his Fender Telecaster, he opened with “Overtime”, instantly grabbing 65,000 voices in unison.

Over two nights he performed epic 23-song sets spanning his discography - “Something in the Orange”, “Oklahoma Smokeshow”, “Motorcycle Drive By”, “I Remember Everything”, “American Nights”, “Burn, Burn, Burn”, and the rousing “Revival” - the latter capped with a 10-minute encore finale accompanied by fireworks.

Photo by Bethan Millerco

He also debuted the emotionally charged “Streets of London”, written just days earlier and premiered live at the festival.

Notably, he invited UK rising star Ollie Hawkins for “Heading South” after the singer’s viral TikTok campaign - and even brought Dermot Kennedy out for a stirring duet of “Hey Driver”, praising him as “one of the best fucking singers in the world”

BST Hyde Park’s line‑up wasn’t just country‑heavy; it embraced indie‑folk roots with standout performances:

• Mt. Joy brought carefree indie-rock grooves with festival-ready tracks, even tackling a surprise “Teenage Dirtbag” cover.

• Gabrielle Aplin, in her ethereal charm, delivered haunting renditions of “Panic Chord” and “Home”, engaging the crowd with witty banter about the London sun.

• Rising talents like Willow Avalon, Ole 60, Noeline Hofmann, and Waylon Wyatt supported the Americana undercurrent, adding layers of fresh authenticity across Hyde Park’s multiple stages.

  
  

BST Hyde Park, now in its eleventh year, has grown into one of London’s premier annual festivals, bringing globally renowned artists to its Royal Park backdrop . This year, it embraced the rising tide of modern country and Americana, with Morgan Wallen, Shania Twain, and now Zach Bryan drawing 65,000-capacity crowds and affirming the genre's growing UK influence.

According to AEG’s Jim King, Zach’s Hyde Park run is “one of the biggest successes in live music in the world,” selling 130,000 tickets across the two nights. It’s not just an evening - it’s a full‑on cultural takeover.

Photo by Photo by @ISHASHAHPHOTOGRAPHY

Over two electrifying nights, Zach Bryan and Dermot Kennedy crafted a powerful, emotional journey through heartfelt songwriting, communal singalongs, and raw, genuine performance. With captivating supporting acts like Mt. Joy and Gabrielle Aplin, and a sun-drenched Hyde Park serving as their stage, they didn’t just headline - they immortalised two successive nights in BST history.

Words by Sal F.