Fresh off his sold-out show with Shane Gillis to over 80,000 fans at Notre Dame Stadium this past Saturday, you’d think that Zach Bryan would have taken the week or so off to recharge and prepare for his potentially history-making concert at Michigan Stadium on September 27th. That wasn’t the case last night, however.
Taking a trip north of the border to Toronto, the “Something in the Orange” singer made a surprise appearance with The Lumineers to close their second night at Budweiser Stage in style.
For much of the night, it seemed like business as usual for the alternative folk band. Performing hits such as “Ho Hey,” “Ophelia,” “Sleep On the Floor,” “Cleopatra” and “Dead Sea,” as well as tracks from their new album, Automatic, they delivered a killer albeit standard setlist all things considered.
That all changed when Bryan stepped out on stage to deliver the night’s final two songs: “Spotless” and “Stubborn Love.”
Met by a thunderous roar from the crowd, the Oklahoma native was greeted with a hug from frontman, Wesley Schultz, before delivering their 2023, certified 2x platinum collaboration “Spotless.” Notably, this was just the sixth time the pair performed the song and the first time since August 2024.
They would then close the show out with a stellar performance of “Stubborn Love.” In case you’re somehow not familiar with the track, it’s undoubtedly one of The Lumineers’ most popular songs. With over 589 million streams on Spotify alone, along with a platinum certification from the RIAA, it has cemented itself as one of the essential songs in alternative folk since its release in 2012.
Taking a look at the lyrics in the first and second verses, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to Bryan’s writing style:
“She’ll lie and steal and cheatAnd beg you from her kneesMake you think she means it this timeShe’ll tear a hole in you, the one you can’t repairBut I still love her, I don’t really care”
“It’s better to feel pain, than nothing at allThe opposite of love’s indifferenceSo pay attention nowI’m standing on your porch screaming outAnd I won’t leave until you come downstairs”
It’s fairly obvious at this point that Bryan is a huge fan of the band, and I can’t even blame him. Even though The Lumineers (and nearly any band operating in the “stomp-clap” folk scene) have gotten a bad wrap in recent years, there’s truly no denying their talent. Sure, “Ho Hey” definitely got overplayed back in the day. But songs like “Stubborn Love” and “Dead Sea” are more than enough proof that they can deliver some phenomenal tracks.
As a huge fan of both Bryan and The Lumineers, this is nothing short of an all-timer in my opinion. Watch both performances below:
“Stubborn Love”
@oklahomanoutlaw Zach Bryan joined The Lumineers on stage last night in Toronto to perform ‘Stubborn Love’ and ‘Spotless’! @Zach Bryan @The Lumineers #ZachBryan #TheLumineers #zachbryantoronto #thelumineerstoronto #zachbryanstubbornlove ♬ original sound – Oklahoman Outlaw
“Spotless”
@unreal.unearth.unhinged #lumineers ♬ original sound – liv
