Zach Bryan & John Mayer Cover Grateful Dead At Record-Setting Michigan Stadium Concert

Zach Bryan set the record for the largest ticketed concert United States history on Saturday at Michigan University’s Michigan Stadium. The record-setting, officially announced 112,408 capacity audience was treated to a performance of the Grateful Dead’s “Friend Of The Devil” with Dead & Company guitarist John Mayer joining Bryan on the cover.

Michigan Stadium’s 107,601 capacity for football games puts it as the largest stadium in the United States and the entire Western Hemisphere. The home of the University of Michigan’s football team since 1927 is considered the third-largest stadium in the world.

Bryan’s 112,408 sold-ticket tally broke the record set by country musician George Strait, whose concert in June 2024 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, home to the Texas A&M Aggies football team, set the high mark at 110,905.

Bryan brought Mayer out in the middle of the headliner’s set. Mayer played an opening set before Bryan, along with fellow supporting acts Ryan Bingham & The Texas Gentlemen, Joshua Sloane and Keenan O’Meara.

The Bryan and Mayer collaboration began with a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Friend Of The Devil,” a song Mayer is familiar with from his role in Dead & Co. Bryan spoke to the record-setting audience while bringing Mayer to the stage.

“I have one of the best guitar players to ever walk the earth here this evening,” Bryan said. “His name is John Mayer. He did us a favor by playing the show with us. If you guys don’t mind giving him a warm Michigan welcome. This is one of my favorite songs ever. I’m going to try not to ruin it.”

Bryan worked through a couple of minor hiccups, noting in the middle of “Friend Of The Devil” that he promised Mayer he would not mess it up. The pair followed the Dead cover with Mayer playing the part he recorded for Bryan’s song “Better Days” from the 2024 album, The Great American Bar Scene.

Watch footage of Mayer’s time sharing the stage with Bryan at the Big House:

Later in the set, Bryan brought out Michigan natives The War and Treaty. The wife/husband duo made up of Tanya Trotter and Michael Trotter Jr. joined Bryan for “Hey Driver,” the song they contributed to on Bryan’s 2023 self-titled album.

View video of The War And Treaty dropping in on the historic home state concert: