Sounds like Chief’s been in the studio…

Eric Church wrapped up his incredible three night run at Red Rocks last night, and just like last year, he saved the best for last.

Night one served as a tribute to the 20th anniversary of his debut album Sinners Like Me, filled with deep cuts from the days when Church was grinding it out in rock clubs. And night two served as a tribute to the next two decades of music, with hits from throughout his career and a setlist expertly curated by his four-year-old nephew, Tate.

Last night though, was all about the songs: Just Church, a guitar, and his (in his words) firecracker blonde background vocalist Joanna Cotten captivating 9,500 people in one of the most magical settings in the world.

But before Church took the stage with a stripped-back version of “Hallelujah,” he had one more surprise up his sleeve – and I’m not even sure that everybody at Red Rocks realized what was happening.

As the lights went down and the house music turned off before the show, one of Church’s own songs began to play. But it wasn’t one that we’ve heard on any album just yet: In fact, it was one that we’d only heard acoustically – until now.

Church took the stage to the never-before-heard studio version of “On The Road,” an unreleased song that he first performed back in 2023, an autobiographical song that pays tribute to his own life…well, on the road:

“I’ve seen the devil stop a show in Vegas
I’ve seen those angels get their forever wings
I stood on stage with Kris and a Red-headed Stranger
And I’ve done the last show in Texas with the King

Livin’ my dreams I know
On the road I’ve come far
Rode in a thousand towns writing on my guitar
On the road they say it never ends
But I know one day I’ll do anything to do it all again
On the road”

It was a surprise that set the tone for the rest of the evening – a night that Church said he wanted to be like the crowd was sitting in his living room as he played his guitar and sang his favorite songs.

(He also pointed out that it wasn’t nearly as wet this time around, after last year’s acoustic show took place in a monsoon).

He also had another surprise up his sleeve early in the show, when he performed “McArthur” for the first time live after taking part in the song with HARDY, Tim McGraw and Morgan Wallen earlier this year.

There’s something uniquely special about seeing an artist like Eric in his purest form, performing songs entirely acoustic. It’s an opportunity to hear songs as they sounded when they first came to life, songs like “Drink In My Hand” and “Rocket’s White Lincoln” that are typically rockin’ and filled with production. And the songs like “Mixed Drinks About Feelings,” or the rarely-heard live “Crazyland,” shine even more as the focus is turned solely onto the lyrics echoing between the rocks.

The setlist (which Church confirmed Tate had input in once again) not only featured acoustic versions of hits like “Springsteen” and “Hell of A View,” but also included fan favorites like “Doing Life With Me” and “Hippie Radio” along with covers of “Atlantic City” and a rockin’ duet of “Jackson” with that aforementioned firecracker blonde background singer.

It was music in its purest form, and Church at his best, never more so than when he turned “Mistress Named Music” into one of his signature 10-song medleys featuring “Neon Moon,” “Against The Wind,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Piano Man,” among others.

Church promised the crowd that he planned to return to Red Rocks every summer, with the acoustic show hopefully becoming part of the annual tradition. Because for two and a half hours, the Church Choir was captivated by a master performing his craft the way he does when a song first comes to life: Raw, unfiltered, and unproduced.

Which makes it even more ironic that the only production we heard all night was on an unreleased song he debuted before the show.

Classic Church move. We’ll see you next year, Red Rocks.

Red Rocks Night Three Setlist

1. Hallelujah
2. Doing Life With Me
3. Drowning Man
4. McArthur
5. Drink in My Hand
6. Hippie Radio
7. Johnny
8. Record Year
9. Mixed Drinks About Feelings
10. Rocket’s White Lincoln
11. Jackson
12. Mistress Named Music / Piano Man / Against the Wind / (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay / Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) / It’s a Great Day to Be Alive / Walking in Memphis / Pour Some Sugar on Me / Dukes of Hazzard Theme / Neon Moon / Sweet 13. Caroline
14. Crazyland
15. Round Here Buzz
16. Atlantic City
17. Smoke a Little Smoke
18. Talladega
19. Three Year Old
20. Darkest Hour
21. Springsteen
22. Hell of a View
23. Through My Ray-Bans

Encore:
24. Like Jesus Does