Photo: Getty Images
Eric Church is kickstarting 2026 with a run of tour dates, a soon-to-premiere concert film in IMAX and a live album from a show at the “newest cutting-edge venue” in Nashville, Tennessee. The powerhouse country star released the latest track from the album on Friday (January 23).
Church delivered “Give Me Back My Hometown,” originally released on his 2014 album and recorded live in May 2025 at The Pinnacle in Nashville, to kick off the weekend. It’s the latest song to arrive from Church’s 19-track Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive project, following “Bleed On Paper,” “Desperate Man,” “Knives Of New Orleans” and “Hell Of A View.” The North Carolina-born hitmaker’s back-to-back shows at The Pinnacle took place shortly after he released his eighth studio record. He played Evangeline vs. The Machine front-to-back, and went on to perform reimagined renditions of career-spanning hits throughout the Nashville show, which is heading to IMAX screens next month. Church took the stage with a six-piece band, four-piece horns, four-piece strings, eight-piece choir and vocalist Joanna Cotten, states a press release issued Friday.
“The two Pinnacle shows were two really special nights,” Church said at a special early screening in Nashville this week. “That doesn’t always happen. But that night it did, and you could feel it on stage. And I’m very, very glad that we captured it. One day, when we’re old” — “some of us are now,” he said with a laugh — “we’ll be able to look back at that moment in time. And that’s the greatest thing about music, is freezing moments in time. That’s what music does. what you’re about to watch is a really good representation of that.”
Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive Track List
*denotes songs out now
1. Hands Of Time (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
2. Bleed On Paper (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
3. Johnny (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
4. Storm In Their Blood (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
5. Darkest Hour (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
6. Evangeline (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
7. Rocket’s White Lincoln (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
8. Clap Hands (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
9. Desperate Man (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
10. Give Me Back My Hometown (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
11. Homeboy (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
12. Sinners Like Me (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
13. Creepin’ (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
14. Knives Of New Orleans (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
15. Smoke A Little Smoke (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
16. The Outsiders (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
17. Hell Of A View (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
18. Mistress Named Music (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
19. Springsteen (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
“I’ve played a lot of shows. I’ve never had two nights like these where the room felt literally transported. We went to a different plane, musically, artistically, emotionally,” Church previously said in a statement. “It was unforgettable and I’ll remember it the rest of my days.”
Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive IMAX theatrical release is set for February 11 and February 14. The live album will arrive on February 13. After a 2025 tour that “reaffirmed Church’s reputation for pushing the boundaries of the live concert experience,” the country star will “that same spirit forward, pairing large-scale ambition with moments of raw immediacy,” the press release states. Church kicked off his run of 2026 shows on Thursday night (January 22) in Washington, D.C. The 2026 Grammy nominee is bringing Caylee Hammack, Ella Langley, 49 Winchester, Stephen Wilson Jr., Kashus Culpepper and Ashley McBryde on select dates. See the tour stops below.
2026 Free the Machine Tour Remaining Markets, Venues and Special Guests:
Jan. 23 || Washington, D.C. || The Anthem || Caylee Hammack
Feb. 5 || Omaha, Neb. || CHI Health Center || Ella Langley
Feb. 6 || Sioux Falls, S.D. || Denny Sanford PREMIER Center || Ella Langley
Feb. 7 || St. Paul, Minn. || Grand Casino Arena || Ella Langley
Feb. 12 || Toronto, Ont. || Scotiabank Arena || Ella Langley
Feb. 13 || Buffalo, N.Y. || KeyBank Center || Ella Langley
Feb. 14 || Albany, N.Y. || MVP Arena || Ella Langley
Feb. 19 || North Little Rock, Ark. || Simmons Bank Arena || 49 Winchester
Feb. 20 || Kansas City, Mo. || T-Mobile Center || 49 Winchester
Feb. 21 || St. Louis, Mo. || Enterprise Center || 49 Winchester
Feb. 26 || Tulsa, Okla. || BOK Center || Stephen Wilson Jr.
Feb. 27 || Fort Worth, Texas || Dickies Arena || Stephen Wilson Jr.
Feb. 28 || Austin, Texas || Moody Center || Stephen Wilson Jr.
Mar. 5 || Knoxville, Tenn. || Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center || 49 Winchester
Mar. 6 || Greensboro, N.C. || First Horizon Coliseum || 49 Winchester
Mar. 7 || North Charleston, S.C. || North Charleston Coliseum || 49 Winchester
Mar. 19 || Birmingham, Ala. || Legacy Arena at the BJCC || 49 Winchester
Mar. 20 || Atlanta, Ga. || State Farm Arena || 49 Winchester
Mar. 27 || Hollywood, Fla. || Hard Rock Live || Kashus Culpepper
Apr. 3 || Greenville, S.C. || Bon Secours Wellness Arena || Ashley McBryde
Apr. 4 || Charlotte, N.C. || Spectrum Center || Ashley McBryde
Apr. 10 || Jacksonville, Fla. || VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena || Ashley McBryde
Apr. 11 || Tampa, Fla. || Benchmark International Arena || Ashley McBryde