The Church Choir Hits Chicago! Go Behind-the-Scenes of Eric Church's Double Down Tour

Tricia Despres

March 25, 2019 at 2:05 PM

"We will remember tonight, forever," <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://people.com/tag/eric-church/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Eric Church;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Eric Church</a> emotionally told his fans as he jumped off stage and joined them on the floor of the packed Allstate Arena during the singing of "Springsteen."

Church takes a moment to reflect in the minutes before taking the stage on Saturday evening for night two of the Double Down Tour in Chicago.

Church takes time before each show to craft each night's unique set list. Typically, less than 10 songs overlap from Friday to Saturday night and thus far on the Double Down Tour, he's played almost every song off all six of his studio albums.

No one treats their fans as well as Eric Church. While in Chicago, the "Desperate Man" hit maker made sure to take time to meet some of the dear members of his beloved Church Choir before the show.

With his trusty guitar slung around his neck, Eric Church greets his adoring crowd on stage in Chicago Saturday night. Before the night was over, Church would play over 40 songs during a three and a half hour music marathon.

The 137,000 pound lighting rig that runs from the stage to the rear of the arena is the standout production element on the 10-bus and 18-truck Double Down Tour.

Church gathers scarfs handed to him by fans throughout the night, often winding up with several draped around his neck by the end of the show. On this particular night in Chicago, he would receive a patriotic scarf from a little girl sitting on her daddy's shoulders in the front row of the pit.

It's always been a longstanding tradition for Church's fans to raise their footwear in the air during the singing of the song "These Boots." And Chicago raised them proudly on Saturday night.

Church tosses a boot back to its lucky owner after adding his autograph during the singing of "These Boots." Before the song was done, Church had his hands full with a bevy of boots that he had signed for his Chicago fans.

The musician joined his Church Choir fans in the pit encircled by his unique stage during his performance of "Springsteen." "This is what this song is all about," Church told the crowd. "It's about forgetting all of the problems we've got in the world and everything that's going on. It's about being in a moment and that moment being captured by music and it will live there forever."

Saturday night was a homecoming of sorts for Church, who spent many a night early in his career playing for his Chicago fans at the iconic Joe's Bar, just 15 or so miles away from Allstate Arena. "We would play one night for 20 people and then the next night we would go to Joe's Bar and sell it out. Music always wins."

On this night in Chicago, Church would play over 40 songs for his adoring crowd, including hits such as "Wrecking Ball," "Homeboy," "Jack Daniels" and "Talladega."

One never knows quite what to expect at an Eric Church concert. On this night, he would play covers of songs from artists such as Cheap Trick, <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://people.com/tag/dolly-parton/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Dolly Parton;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Dolly Parton</a>, Kenny Loggins and Huey Lewis and the News.

Church and his band bid farewell to the Chicago crowd after playing for more than 25,000 fans across back-to-back nights.

Backup singer Joanna Cotten and fellow band members prepare to join Church on stage in Chicago. And as usual, Cotten was a fan favorite, lending her insane vocals to songs such as "Over When It's Over."

"I'm not going to let up on the gas too much tonight, so y'all have to keep rocking," Church told the crowd in Chicago Saturday night shortly after his performance of "Smoke a Little Smoke."

Church went on stage in Chicago Saturday night to prove once again that not only is he one of the most electric artists in all of music, but one worthy of a title such as "Entertainer of the Year" someday.

Eric Church Electrifies Chicago During Double Down Tour Stop — See the Photos

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The Church Choir Hits Chicago! Go Behind-the-Scenes of Eric Church's Double Down Tour

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