When Eric Church’s Evangeline vs. The Machine Live shows at The Pinnacle were announced in March, the superstar and CMA Entertainer of the Year winner told fans it would be a pair of performances like nothing they’d ever seen. The Church Choir quickly sold out the underplays at just 4,500-capacity-times-two before ever hearing the album that was released on May 2, 2025. And the anticipation was at its peak by showtime! With many showing up in “Eric Fucking Church” and “Concert for Carolina” merch, the Church Choir was ready.
As fans entered the venue, they were met by camera controllers and security in hazmat suits embroidered with Church’s Evangeline vs. The Machine album insignia “M” signifying the “Machine” before a 27-minute visual intro that appropriately included Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine,” played. The crowd erupted upon seeing his 6-piece band, 4-piece horns, 4-piece strings, 8-piece choir and vocalist Joanna Cotten entering the stage to “Run Like Hell” chanting “Chief, Chief” before the North Carolinian appeared up center stage.
Performing his eighth studio album front-to-back before transitioning into his catalog hits reimagined with this expanded musical collaboation – including “Desperate Man,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” “Sinners Like Me,” “Mistress Named Music” and “Springsteen” among others – the two-hour set saw Church equally as ardent as the audience.
“We created a show that’s only gonna be seen for these two nights,” Church said on stage Saturday night. “My favorite times as a music fan is knowing I’m seeing something live. Not on YouTube, not on TikTok, but live, as I knew I’d never be in that moment ever again. And that is the power of music… and the genesis of these shows.”
Whether transitioning from Evangeline vs. The Machine’s album closer “Clap Hands” to “Desperate Man,” or citing the sax-solo on “Springsteen,” Whiskey Riff notes Church’s album release shows “showed off not only his country music street cred but also wove in the rock, blues and soul sounds that have influenced the man behind the sunglasses.”
Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker for Alive Coverage
Free the Machine Tour 2025 Dates are as follows:
Sept. 12 || Pittsburgh, Penn. || PPG Paints Arena || Elle King
Sept. 13 || Columbus, Ohio || Nationwide Arena || Elle King
Sept. 18 || Philadelphia, Penn. || Wells Fargo Center || Elle King
Sept. 19 || Boston, Mass. || TD Garden || Elle King
Sept. 20 || Brooklyn, N.Y. || Barclays Center || Elle King
Sept. 25 || Green Bay, Wisc. || Resch Center || Marcus King Band
Sept. 26 || Milwaukee, Wisc. || Fiserv Forum || Marcus King Band
Sept. 27 || Des Moines, Iowa || Wells Fargo Arena || Marcus King Band
Oct. 2 || Detroit, Mich. || Little Caesars Arena || Marcus King Band
Oct. 3 || Lexington, Ky. || Rupp Arena || Marcus King Band
Oct. 9 || Indianapolis, Ind. || Gainbridge Fieldhouse || Marcus King Band
Oct. 10 || Grand Rapids, Mich. || Van Andel Arena || Marcus King Band
Oct. 11 || Cleveland, Ohio || Rocket Arena || Marcus King Band
Oct. 23 || Salt Lake City, Utah || Delta Center || Charles Wesley Godwin
Oct. 24 || Boise, Idaho || ExtraMile Arena || Charles Wesley Godwin
Oct. 25 || Spokane, Wash. || Spokane Arena || Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 6 || Vancouver, B.C. || Rogers Arena || Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 7 || Portland, Ore. || Moda Center || Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 8 || Seattle, Wash. || Climate Pledge Arena || Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 13 || Sacramento, Calif. || Golden 1 Center || Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 14 || Fresno, Calif. || SaveMart Center || Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 15 || Inglewood, Calif. || Intuit Dome || Charles Wesley Godwin
About Eric Church
A seven-time ACM Award winner, four-time CMA Award winner (including 2020’s Entertainer of the Year), TIME100Philanthropy 2025 honoree and 10-time GRAMMY nominee – including three nods for Best Country Album, Eric Church has built a passionate fan base through his critically acclaimed catalog of music. Church’s October 2024 release, “Darkest Hour,” saw the superstar signing over all of his publishing royalties to the people of North Carolina to provide immediate relief following the devastation of Hurricane Helene while also providing ongoing funds to support a more resilient future for his home state. The song is featured alongside current single “Hands Of Time” on his brand new album, Evangeline vs. The Machine, marking his first new music since 2021’s Heart & Soul triple album (“Stick That In Your Country Song,” “Hell Of A View”). That project followed prior releases including RIAA Gold-certified Desperate Man (“Some Of It,” “Desperate Man”), Platinum-certified Sinners Like Me (“How ’Bout You,” “Guys Like Me”), Carolina (“Smoke a Little Smoke,” “Love Your Love the Most”) and Mr. Misunderstood (“Record Year,” “Round Here Buzz”), Double-Platinum certified The Outsiders (“Like a Wrecking Ball,” “Talladega”) and 4x Platinum-certified Chief (“Springsteen,” “Drink In My Hand”), as well as 32 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certified songs. Church is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, a co-owner of the iconic Field & Stream brand, has his own SiriusXM music channel, “Eric Church Outsiders Radio,” his own liquor offering, Whiskey JYPSI, and recently celebrated the first anniversary Chief’s, his six-story venue on Nashville’s famed lower Broadway. For more information, visit EricChurch.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter/X @ericchurch and Instagram @ericchurchmusic.
