Javascript is required to use this website.

I was there: Soaked, tired and thrilled, tens of thousands of Zach Bryan fans wait out rain and lightning

SHELLY KULHANEK Lincoln Journal Star
Apr 26, 2026
Apr 26, 2026 Updated 2 hrs ago
0

1 of 3

Zach Bryan performs during a concert for his "With Heaven Tour" on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Lightning delays and heavy rain pushed the show late into the night, canceled the opener and cut songs, but fans stayed for a drenched sing-along finale.

ARTHUR H. TRICKETT-WILE, Journal Star

Singer-songwriter Eben Rosentrater (right, from Paxton) leads a rowdy cohort of his new fans in song as they wait out a storm delay in the concourse before a Zach Bryan concert at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday. “It just felt really good because we’re all just sitting here depressed! Was really nice to keep the spirits up, especially in this stormy weather,” he said.

ARTHUR H. TRICKETT-WILE, Journal Star

Zach Bryan performs during a concert Saturday at Memorial Stadium. After several hours of storm delays, gates opened to some tens of thousands of fans who saw Bryan perform live.

ARTHUR H. TRICKETT-WILE, Journal Star

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

SHELLY KULHANEK Lincoln Journal Star

Editor’s note: I was among the soaked fans who waited out three hours of storms before Zach Bryan finally took the stage late Saturday.

k9C ^m

kAm{:89E?:?8 56=2JD AFD965 +249 qCJ2?’D |6>@C:2= $E25:F> 4@?46CE =2E6 :?E@ E96 ?:89E $2EFC52J[ 4FE E96 D6E D9@CE 2?5 H:A65 @FE E96 @A6?:?8 24E[ 3FE E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 72?D DE2J65 E9C@F89 E96 DE@C>]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 564=2C:?8 D6G6C2= E:>6D 5FC:?8 2 ?62C=J EH@\9@FC D6E E92E 9:D 32?5 5:5?’E :?E6?5 E@ DE@A 2D =:89E?:?8 =:E FA E96 D<J[ qCJ2? HC2AA65 FA 62C=J H:E9 2 D:?8\2=@?8 E@ “#6G:G2=” 2D D966ED @7 C2:? A6=E65 E96 4C@H5 2?5 E96 DE286 2E >:57:6=5]k^Am

People are also reading…

Flatwater Forum: Lexington begins to look ahead after Tyson closing
Reese Kuecker takes on the Masters Tournament with UNL hospitality program
33 Lexington High School students receive Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy award
Lexington girls soccer falls to Columbus Lakeview to take Central Conference runner-up title
Rapid Relief Team hosts appreciation meal for Gothenburg Fire Department
Scott Frost lawsuit against Nebraska heads to court over tax dispute
Lexington's Greta Rickertsen selected for Cornhusker Girls State
3 Dawson County 4-H'ers earn blue ribbons at Dawson County Presentation Contest
Kearney-based Cash-Wa sold to Performance Foods of Virginia
Lexington girls pick up 2-0 victory at home over Aurora
Lexington's Oakley Burson. Sofia Silva-Benavidez win the Tree Board Poster Contest
Jose Lara steps into role as head coach of the Lexington girls wrestling program
Minutemen soccer finishes in third at Central Conference
Cozad boys 4x1 relay team sets new meet record at Midwest Nebraska Track Classic
Lincoln police officer resigns amid sexual misconduct allegation

kAm“x’> D@CCJ 7@C 4FEE:?8 E96 D6E D9@CE E@?:89EP {:89E6?:?8 42>6 :? 72DEP (6 @?=J >:DD65 E96 =2DE D:IP x =@G6 J@F 8FJD[ E96 C2:? H2D 2 3=2DE[” qCJ2? A@DE65 E@ ) 27E6C E96 4@?46CE 6?565 2C@F?5 `aib_ 2]>]k^Am

k2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E E?4>D\:?=:?6\2=:8?>6?E\46?E6CQmk^2D:56m

kAm%96 }2E:@?2= (62E96C $6CG:46 C6A@CE65 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 E92? 2? :?49 @7 C2:? 76== 2C@F?5 |6>@C:2= $E25:F> @? $2EFC52J 6G6?:?8]k^Am

kAmpD9=6J uC2?D@? D2:5 :E H2D 2 ?:89E D96 H@F=5?VE 7@C86E]k^Am

kAmQ%92E =2DE D@?8 :? E96 A@FC:?8 C2:? H2D F?C62=[Q D96 A@DE65 @? u2463@@<] Q%96 36DE A2CE … H6 5:5?’E 6G6? C62=:K6 9@H 92C5 :E H2D C2:?:?8 F?E:= H6 =@@<65 2C@F?5 2?5 6G6CJ@?6 6=D6 H2D D@2<65] (@F=5 5@ :E 2== @G6C 282:? :? 2 962CE362E]Qk^Am

kAmr@?46CE8@6CD H9@ 3@F89E 86?6C2= 25>:DD:@? 7=@@C E:4<6ED =:?65 FA 9@FCD 367@C6 E96 82E6D H6C6 D4965F=65 E@ @A6? 2E di`d A]>] 7@C E96 f A]>] D9@H]k^Am

kAmqFE 72?D =:<6 |2EE wF?E H2:E65] “#2:? C2:? 8@ 2H2J[ a @7 >J <:5D H2??2 D66 +249 qCJ2? !{p*PPPPP[” 96 A@DE65 @? D@4:2= >65:2]k^Am

Zach Bryan fans wait — Fans wait for the Zach Bryan concert to begin in the Hawks Championship Center.
Husker Athletics, courtesy photo

kAm%96 pE9=6E:4 s6A2CE>6?E @A6?65 E96 ?62C3J w2H<D r92>A:@?D9:A r6?E6C 7@C D@>6 62C=J 4@?46CE8@6CD E@ H2:E @FE E96 DE@C>D]k^Am

kAm%96 82E6D E@ E96 DE25:F> @A6?65 2E `_ A]>] 2D 2 =:89E C2:? 76==] u2?D DEC62>:?8 7C@> 5@H?E@H? 2?5 A2C<:?8 =@ED 2CC:G65 2E E96 DE25:F> 564<65 @FE :? C2:? A@?49@D 2?5 4@=5\H62E96C 862C]k^Am

kAmuF==JwFD<V5 42==65 4@>>6?ED @? E96 4@?46CE FA52E6D “C:5:4F=@FD=J 9:=2C:@FD]” w6 D2:5 72?D H6C6 “24E:?8 =:<6 E96 >2? 4@?EC@=D E96 H62E96C 2?5 ?@H @H6D E96> 2 C67F?5 7@C 2 4@?46CE E96J A2:5 E@ 2EE6?5 ~&%s~~#$ :? }63C2D<2 :D =2E6 pAC:=]”k^Am

kAmz:?8D @7 {6@? H6C6 D4965F=65 E@ E2<6 E96 DE286 2E f A]>] 3FE H6C6 42?46=65[ 5:D2AA@:?E:?8 D@>6 72?D]k^Am

kAm“oz:?8D~7{6@? 4C:65 2 =:EE=6 3:E W2 =@EX E@?:89E H96? H6 5:5?’E 86E E@ D66 J@F :? {:?4@=? 2E |6>@C:2= $E25:F>] (6 5:5?’E 8@ 7@C +249 qCJ2? 3FE 7@C J@F[” z2C2 $:6>6< D2:5 :? 2 D@4:2= >65:2 A@DE] “(6 96=5 @FE 7@C E96 6?E:C6 4@?46CE ;FDE :? 42D6 J@F 42>6 @FE] $@CCJ H6 >:DD65 J@F]”k^Am

kAmqCJ2?[ 2 7@=<\4@F?ECJ D:?86C[ E@@< E96 DE286 2E 23@FE `_ib_ A]>] :? 2 3=24< wFD<6CD %\D9:CE] ':56@ D9@H? @? 2 E@H6C:?8 D4C66? E92E DEC6E4965 24C@DD $@FE9 $E25:F> 2=E6C?2E65 D9@ED @7 qCJ2?[ 9:D 32?5 >6>36CD 2?5 72?D H9@ DE@@5 @? E96 7:6=5 D4C62>:?8 E96 =JC:4D E@ 6G6CJ D@?8]k^Am

kAmw6 E@=5 72?D E96 DE2E6 :D DA64:2= E@ 9:>[ 2D 96 DA6?E 2 4@FA=6 @7 “7@C>:523=6 J62CD” 96C6 H9:=6 DE2E:@?65 2E ~77FEE 5FC:?8 9:D D6CG:46 :? E96 &]$] }2GJ] t2C=:6C[ 96 A@DE65 E92E AC@4665D 7C@> >6C492?5:D6 D2=6D H@F=5 8@ E@ 2 7@C>6C A2DE@C :? ~>292 H9@ :D 7:89E:?8 2 C2C6 3C2:? 5:D62D6]k^Am

kAmw6 4FE D:I D@?8D 7C@> 9:D ae\D@?8 D6E =:DE[ :?4=F5:?8 “v@5DA665[” “$@>6E9:?8 :? E96 ~C2?86” 2?5 “~<=29@>2 $>@<6D9@H]” s6DA:E6 E96 C2:?[ E96 6?6C8J C6>2:?65 9:89 2D qCJ2? FC865 72?D H9@ D66>65 E@ <?@H 2== E96 H@C5D E@ D:?8 2=@?8]k^Am

kAmu2?D H9@ 92G6 D66? 9:> @? 9:D “(:E9 w62G6? @? %@FCQ D2:5 96 2=D@ D9@CE6?65 9:D FDF2= 6?4@C6[ “#6G:G2=[” :? H9:49 9:D 32?5 >6>36CD E2<6 EFC?D D9@H42D:?8 E96:C >FD:42= D<:==D]k^Am

kAmqCJ2?’D 4@?46CE[ 6IA64E65 E@ 5C2H 23@FE e_[___[ H2D E96 7:CDE @7 E9C66 >2;@C ?@?7@@E32== 6G6?ED A=2??65 7@C E96 DE25:F> E9:D J62C] %96 $2G2??29 q2?2?2D H:== A=2J :? yF?6[ 2?5 rC@DD r2?25:2? #28H665 2?5 %FC?A:<6 %C@F325@FCD H:== 3C:?8 E96:C q@JD uC@> ~<=29@>2 4@?46CE E@ }63C2D<2 :? pF8FDE]k^Am

kAm%C2?D7@C>:?8 |6>@C:2= $E25:F> 7C@> 7@@E32== >@56 E@ 4@?46CE >@56 — C6>@G:?8 8@2= A@DED 2?5 H:C6D E92E 4@??64E E@ E96 7:6=5VD AJ=@? 42>6C2D 2?5 4@>A=6E:?8 ?F>6C@FD @E96C E2D<D — E@@< 2 G:==286 :? E96 H66< =625:?8 FA E@ E96 4@?46CE[ 244@C5:?8 E@ pC6< ~=D@?[ E96 F?:G6CD:EJVD 2DD:DE2?E 2E9=6E:4 5:C64E@C @7 DA64:2= 6G6?ED]k^Am

kAmu:C6H@C<D 56=:89E65 72?D 5FC:?8 E96 C2F4@FD D:?8\2=@?8 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 4@?46CE :? E96 A@FC:?8 C2:?[ 3FE E96C6 H6C6 4C:E:4D]k^Am

kAm#F?];2<60D@0;2<6]CF?D[ H9@ 56D4C:365 9:>D6=7 2D 2 &}{ 2=F> 2?5 qCJ2? 72?[ A@DE65 @? x?DE28C2> E92E :7 E96 F?:G6CD:EJ 9@A6D E@ 9@DE >@C6 6G6?ED 2E E96 DE25:F>[ E96J H:== ?665 E@ H@C< 92C56C E@ 6?DFC6 2? 6?;@J23=6 2?5 D276 E:>6 7@C A2EC@?D]k^Am

kAm“}~%wx}v H2D H6== >2C<65\ 82E6D[ =:?6D 7@C 82E6D[ 24EF2= 6?EC2?46D E@ E96 82E6D] p3D@=FE6=J F?D276 6?G:C@?>6?E :? 2 ?F>36C @7 H2JD[” 96 A@DE65]k^Am

kAmtG6? 2D D@>6 4@?46CE8@6CD G@:465 7CFDEC2E:@?D 23@FE 56=2JD 2?5 DE25:F> =@8:DE:4D[ @E96CD D2:5 E96 ?:89E F=E:>2E6=J 3642>6 >6>@C23=6 7@C 2== E96 C62D@?D ?@ @?6 4@F=5 A=2?]k^Am

kAmqC:2? '@C6= $492>A A@DE65 @? u2463@@< E92E 9:D 8C@FA 2CC:G65 5@H?E@H? 62C=J[ 8C23365 5:??6C 2?5 H2:E65 E9C@F89 E96 56=2JD]k^Am

kAms6DA:E6 =62G:?8 “4@=5[ D@2<65[ 2?5 E:C65[” 96 D2:5 E96J 7:?:D965 E96 ?:89E 8C2E67F= E96J 8@E E@ 36 E96C6] “s67:?:E6=J 2 ?:89E H6 H@?’E 7@C86E]”k^Am