Like any artist trying to make it in the industry, Eric Church has had his share of less-than-ideal venues and shows in the past. From only knowing 12 songs and playing them twiceover at his first-ever gig to playing behind chicken wire at shady bars, which resulted in his late brother, Brandon, leaving the stage to fight someone in the parking lot during a song, it’s safe to say the Chief has a laundry list of wild stories during his early years as a performer.
Of course, it’s stories like these that have made Church the absolute legend he is today, and fans (myself included) are always dying to hear more tidbits from his journey over the past two decades.
While the Free The MachineTour keeps rolling after kicking off last weekend in Pittsburgh, Church performed in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center last night. In the midst of a set that contained the entirety of Evangeline vs. The Machine, a rare performance of “Drowning Man,” his mashup of “Smoke a Little Smoke” and Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” and a surprise cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” the 10x Grammy-nominee took some time to share a hilarious story about his first time playing in the Philadelphia area…