ERIC CHURCH CLIMBS THE PINNACLE FOR LP RELEASE SHOWS

Eric Church will squeeze into Nashville's new 4.5k-capacity venue The Pinnacle on 5/23-24 for two album release shows in celebration of Evangeline vs. The Machine, which is out 5/2.

The country star will perform the album in its entirety for the first time at the gigs, tickets for which go on sale 3/31 for members of the Church Choir fan organization. "An album is a snapshot in time that lasts for all time,” he said. “I believe in that time-tested tradition of making records that live and breathe as one piece of art—I think it’s important.”

“I’ve always let creativity be the muse. It’s been a compass for me,” he continued. “The people that I look up to in my career and the kind of musicians I gravitate to never did what I thought they were going to do next—and I love them for it."

Evangeline was produced by Jay Joyce and includes the singles "Hands of Time" and "Darkest Hour." Another song from it, "Johnny," was previewed at the recent Country Radio Seminar.

In related news, HITS does not look good in a cowboy hat.