With Evangeline vs. The Machine earning a nomination for Best Contemporary Country Album at next weekend’s GRAMMY Awards, Eric Church is wasting no time carrying that momentum into 2026. On Wednesday night, January 22, the 11 time GRAMMY nominee returned to the stage with an intimate underplay at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., officially launching leg two of his Free the Machine Tour. The performance marked the first show of the new year and set the tone for a spring run from an artist long praised by Pollstar for his “high-energy, Springsteen-esque marathon performances.”
The Free the Machine Tour follows a landmark 2025 run that once again showcased Church’s commitment to reshaping the live concert experience. The 2026 dates continue that approach, blending large scale production with stripped-down moments that keep the focus squarely on the music and the connection with the audience.
New Live Release Arrives Today
Coinciding with the tour’s return, Church has released “Give Me Back My Hometown (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)” today. The live recording offers a new take on his 2x Platinum, chart-topping hit and appears on the forthcoming Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), due out February 13 via MCA.
The 19 track live album serves as a companion piece to the IMAX exclusive theatrical release of Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive, which will screen February 11 and 14. Both projects were filmed across two nights at The Pinnacle in Nashville and capture Church performing his GRAMMY-nominated eighth studio album in full before shifting into select catalog favorites. The performances are reimagined with a six-piece band, four-piece horn section, four-piece string section, an eight-piece choir, and vocalist Joanna Cotten.
Earlier this week, Church hosted a special screening event in Nashville for members of his Church Choir, offering a preview of the limited theatrical experience. A full list of IMAX locations and ticket information is available at IMAX.com/EricChurch.
Listen Now
Momentum Builds Across Tour, Film, and Album
With the Free the Machine Tour back on the road, a new live track available today, and both an IMAX film and live album arriving in February, Church’s 2026 is already defined by forward motion. The run underscores his ongoing commitment to challenging expectations while reinforcing his place among the most compelling live performers in modern country music.
For updates, tour information, and more, visit EricChurch.com and follow Eric Church on Facebook and Twitter/X @ericchurch and Instagram @ericchurchmusic.
Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive Track List
- Hands Of Time (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Bleed On Paper (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
- Johnny (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Storm In Their Blood (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Darkest Hour (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Evangeline (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Rocket’s White Lincoln (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Clap Hands (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Desperate Man (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
- Give Me Back My Hometown (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
- Homeboy (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Sinners Like Me (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Creepin’ (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Knives Of New Orleans (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
- Smoke A Little Smoke (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- The Outsiders (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Hell Of A View (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)*
- Mistress Named Music (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
- Springsteen (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)
*denotes songs currently available
2026 Free the Machine Tour Dates
- 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
About Eric Church
Eric Church is a seven-time ACM Award winner, four-time CMA Award winner including 2020 Entertainer of the Year, a TIME100 Philanthropy 2025 honoree, and an 11 time GRAMMY nominee. His catalog includes multiple Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum releases, with landmark albums such as Chief, The Outsiders, Mr. Misunderstood, Carolina, Sinners Like Me, and Desperate Man.
In October 2024, Church released “Darkest Hour,” signing over all of his publishing royalties from the song to support Hurricane Helene relief efforts in North Carolina. The track appears alongside current single “Hands Of Time” on Evangeline vs. The Machine, his first studio album since the Heart & Soul triple project in 2021. Beyond music, Church is a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, a co-owner of Field & Stream, the creator of Outsiders Radio on SiriusXM, founder of Whiskey JYPSI, and owner of Chief’s, his six-story venue on Nashville’s Lower Broadway.
