Eric Church will Double Down with two Boss-length shows in Pittsburgh.
ERIC CHURCH WILL GRACE PITTSBURGH WITH TWO BOSS-LENGTH SHOWS
It remains to be seen what songs he’ll target specifically to Pittsburgh, but we can bet that Eric Church won’t get through two nights at PPG Paints Arena, Uptown, without mentioning Mr. Smalls.
The country rocker from North Carolina loves to reference his first gig in these parts, in March 2009, at the converted church in Millvale. “The first time we played Pittsburgh,” he said at his last arena show, “we did a little place called Mr. Smalls, and I swear to God there were about 19 people there.”
According to Mr. Smalls, there were actually 354 people there, so Pittsburgh was on to him, but who’s counting.
Just a few months after that, in July, he made a triumphant return as a warm-up act for, of all things, the weigh-in of the bass fishing tournament at the Mellon Arena.
Those gigs found Church touring behind his first two albums, “Sinners Like Me” and “Carolina,” turning fans on to such early hits like “Guys Like Me” and “Smoke a Little Smoke.” His fortunes would change considerably with “Chief” and its country chart-topping singles “Drink in My Hand” and “Springsteen,” about summer romance and The Boss as the “soundtrack to a July Saturday night.”
Over the next two nights, he’ll draw 30,000-plus fans to PPG Paints, most likely putting him second only to Garth Brooks in terms of Pittsburgh crowd sizes when we tally up 2019.
Church, who departs from the Nashville norm by writing his own songs and veering away from formula, often leaning closer in style to a Springsteen, Mellencamp or Steve Earle, is a contender to join the stadium club with Chesney, Brooks and Luke Bryan. Instead, he’s opted for two-night arena stands in 23 cities on what he is calling the Double Down Tour.
“As we were thinking about this tour and where we go from where we’ve been,” he said in the video announcement, “I thought about the ‘Holding My Own Tour’ and I thought how special it was and how spiritual it was. And I’ve laid awake many nights in my bed thinking about how you go from over three hours of music, where I’m giving everything I got and you’re giving everything you got. Where do we go next?’
“I think we double down. Not one unique show in each city, but two unique shows in each city. Not three hours, but six hours . ... We take over your [expletive] city and double down . ... It’s going to be unique, and it’s going to be epic.”
Church is filling his three-hour, 30-plus song shows with favorites from his 13year career, tracks from his latest album “Desperate Man” and covers that relate to the host city. In Cincinnati, he did the Isley Brothers’ “It’s Your Thing,” in Detroit, Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and Bob Seger’s “Roll Me Away” and in Cleveland Joe Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good,” to name a few.
The last time he played here, in 2017, he rolled out “Renegade,” the Styx classic adopted as a Steelers fight song, and the trucker anthem “Six Days on the Road,” which opens with the narrator pulling out of Pittsburgh.
Neither of those songs were written by Pittsburghers, so it might not fit with the current formula. What could he reach for here? “Since I Don’t Have You”? “The Rapper”? “Black and Yellow”? “Love is Like a Rock”? “Pumping Iron”? Does he know that one?
Replying to a Twitter query on the subject, Dan Stadnik noted, “I can kinda imagine a countrified ‘Send Me On My Way’ actually sounding decent . ... I assume he has a pedal steel & fiddle in the band, right? And he wouldn’t have to know the words!”
He could go with “You know what they say about the young” — as the lyrics to the Rusted Root song are spelled out on genius.com — or he can just sing “mmbubblysaybubblyon.”
Or, he could avoid that hassle and just do “Genie in a Bottle.”
THURSDAY: Combichrist, the grinding industrial metal project of Andy LaPlegua, formed in 2003, comes north just before releasing its ninth full-length album, “One Fire,” which introduces new drummer Dane White. The frontman is calling it a return to roots that also has a focus on mental illness. The album includes an orchestral cover of the Dead Kennedys’ classic “California Über Alles.” “I’ve always wanted to cover ‘California Uber Alles,’” he said, “and with the world the way it is right now and with the current political climate, it just felt perfect to do it right now.” With Silver Snakes and God Hates Unicorns. Crafthouse, Baldwin Borough. 7 p.m. $18; ticketfly.com.
FRIDAY: Scythian, the Celtic folk/ bluegrass band from Washington, D.C., headlines the second annual Move a Mountain Music Fest at Duquesne University’s Union Ballroom, 1000 Locust St., Uptown. The group will play two sets, with Pittsburgh’s own Corned Beef and Curry Band as the opener. Tickets are $40. It benefits Move a Mountain Missions and will help to make transformative mission trips possible for students in the Pittsburgh area. 21+ event. 7 p.m.; moveamountain.org. SATURDAY: The Ohio Players, truly one of the funkiest bands of all time,
released its first single in 1967 and then went to No. 1 on the charts in 1974 with the classic “Fire,” followed the next year by “Love Rollercoaster.” Samples of their music have been used by the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Jay-Z and Outkast. The current lineup consists of four members who were on board during that hitmaking run: drummer James “Diamond” Williams, keyboardist Billy Beck, guitarist Clarence “Chet” Willis and percussionist Robert “Kuumba” Jones. They heat up The Event Center at Rivers Casino, North Shore, at 8 p.m. $25-$35; RiversCasino.com.
SATURDAY: Amy Grant, the Christian singersongwriter debuted in 1977 and crossed over to the pop charts in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, going to No. 1 in 1991 with “Baby Baby.” To date, she has sold more than 30 million records worldwide and won six Grammys and 26 Dove Awards. She does an evening at Amplify Church, Pittsburgh East Campus, 9400 Saltzburg Road, Plum, 7 p.m. Tickets are $32.50 and $37.50; iTickets.com.
SATURDAY: Emily King, the singer-songwriter from New York City, got one of her first breaks in 2004 doing a feature on Nas’ “Street’s Disciple.” Three years later, she released her debut album “East Side Story” and earned a Grammy nomination for contemporary R&B album. All these years later, she just released her third album, “Scenery,” combining smooth R&B, a touch of ‘80s synths and her hushed, soulful delivery. Carnegie Lecture Hall, Oakland. 8 p.m. $25; ticketmaster.com.
SUNDAY: The Flying Luttenbachers, a dissonant punk-jazz no-wave band from Chicago led by drummer Weasel Walter, recently released “Shattered Dimension,” its first new music in 12 years. It introduced a lineup that includes saxophonist Matt Nelson, guitarist Brandon Seabrook and bassist Tim Dahl. The drummer recently told Rolling Stone that “After the written stuff is executed, anything goes!” and added, “The spirit of the Flying Luttenbachers is to push music to extremes on every level, and these guys do it easily.” With Night Vapor and Bear Skull. The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls, Millvale. 8 p.m. $10; ticketmaster.com.