"It’s been an incredible year, and I’m really excited to round out 2023 supporting Zach Bryan."
Dan Sultan (Credit: Bylmani Givertz)
ARIA Award-winning Arrente/Gurindji artist Dan Sultan has scored the ultimate support slot, scheduled to open for Zach Bryan on his upcoming exclusive Melbourne show on Saturday, 9 December.
Bryan lands in Melbourne for a sold-out one-off concert at the Flemington Racecourse this weekend as part of Victoria’s statewide celebration of live music, ALWAYS LIVE.
On the opportunity to open for Zach Bryan, Sultan told Countrytown, “It’s been an incredible year, and I’m really excited to round out 2023 supporting Zach Bryan. It’s going to be a massive show and will definitely be one of my personal highlights in a year full of amazing live shows, as well as the honour and recognition of my seventh ARIA for my latest self-titled record, Dan Sultan.”
He continued, “It’s really inspiring to see Zach’s songwriting and performance get so much recognition and acknowledgment, and it’s no surprise that the show sold out so quickly. All his success has been very well deserved, in my opinion, and I’m really looking forward to seeing him live as well as having the opportunity to perform myself.”
Sultan recently took home the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album for his self-titled album, following previous ARIA wins, including Best Children’s Album in 2018 for Killer Under A Blood Moon, Best Rock Album in 2014 for Blackbird, and in 2010, won Best Male Artist and Best Blues & Roots Album for his second album, Get Out While You Can.
Zach Bryan’s concert was upgraded from its original venue of Catani Gardens in St Kilda to the massive, open-air Flemington Racecourse after the pre-sale registration was met with unprecedented demand. Tickets ended up selling out in under 20 minutes.
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In addition to being his only (currently scheduled) show in Australia, the concert will be doubly special for fans since it also marks Bryan’s debut performance on Australian soil.
Back in February, Bryan teased in a (since-deleted) tweet that tour dates for Europe and Australia would be “coming soon”. It’s unclear if that means a proper tour of the country is being planned for 2024.
In a press statement, ALWAYS LIVE CEO Steve Smith said about Bryan’s Australian debut being tied to this year’s program: “We are thrilled to welcome Zach Bryan, one of America's hottest rising country stars, to ALWAYS LIVE for his first ever Australian performance. His exclusive Melbourne show promises to be a highlight of the 2023 program, and we can't wait to share this unforgettable experience with fans of country music from all over Australia right here in Victoria.”