Eric Church Opened Ascend with Songs He Had Kept Back

Eric Church gave Nashville’s new Ascend Amphitheater an opening built around the songs. His sold-out July 30 and 31, 2015 shows used an acoustic approach, with deep cuts and material he had not previously performed live.

Among them was “Three Year Old,” introduced through a story about fishing with his young son and watching tackle go into the water. The stage had its own bar, the Outsiders Joint, and a couch; musicians joined the performance as the evening developed.

That setup gave a large new outdoor venue a deliberately informal first chapter. Church could move between stories, seldom-played songs and familiar material, making the opening nights distinct from a standard stop on a tour. A song about a small family episode helped inaugurate a much bigger room.

Explore the Ascend Amphitheater venue guide.

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