Zach Bryan, heralded as the "heir apparent to Bruce Springsteen," witnessed an astonishing twist at his concert in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday as the legendary Springsteen himself took the stage. At MetLife Stadium, nestled in Springsteen's home state, the duo enthralled the audience with a captivating rendition of "Atlantic City." As the song concluded, the crowd erupted in chants of "BRUUUUUCE," correcting the misconception spread on social media that some booing had occurred.
This was hardly their first collaboration on stage. Just the previous August, Springsteen had delighted fans at Bryan's Philadelphia concert by joining him for performances of "Atlantic City" and "Sandpaper," a tune they co-created.
Earlier in Sunday's concert, a hint of Springsteen's impending appearance was subtly woven into the evening's ambiance when "House of a Thousand Guitars," a track from his 2020 album, Letter to You, resonated through the stadium's sound system.
Later, Bryan introduced Caleb Followill, a member of the opening act Kings of Leon, as "the sweetest man I've ever met," before taking a dramatic pause to announce the arrival of "one of the greatest men to ever walk the earth, a true New Jersey native, Mr. Bruce Springsteen."
With Followill lending his talents, the band launched into "Atlantic City" from Springsteen's 1982 solo album, Nebraska. This era of Springsteen's storied musical journey will soon be immortalized on the silver screen with the October release of Deliver Me From Nowhere, starring Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen.
Springsteen returned once more for the concert's encore, joining Bryan for a rousing version of "Revival."
Sunday marked the culmination of Bryan's three-night residency in East Rutherford. Often drawing comparisons to Springsteen in his songwriting, Bryan, a U.S. Navy veteran hailing from Oklahoma, has emerged as a pioneering figure in the new wave of country music. His career skyrocketed in 2023 with the release of his fourth album, Zach Bryan, and continued its ascent in 2024 with another smash hit, The Great American Bar Scene.
Meanwhile, Springsteen, fresh from wrapping up a European tour, has been spotted frequenting his hometown of Freehold, New Jersey. Bryan too spent a significant portion of June in Europe, headlining two consecutive nights at London's Hyde Park.