CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Eric Church was sweating after the first four songs of his Friday night show at Quicken Loans Arena, but the singer had more than 30 songs to go before he left the stage.
Church kicked off the show with a high level of energy, and it never wavered.
"There's no ounce of anything tonight that me and this band won't give you," he said.
He wasn't lying. Even through the concert went well over three hours, Church captivated the crowd at The Q with a blend of popular hits and hidden gems from his career.
Here are some of the highlights from Church's "Holdin' My Own" Cleveland tour stop.
Heartfelt moments without losing momentum
Church had to guide the audience through a marathon setlist without the crowd losing interest. Although there were definitely moments where the energy lowered for just a second (notably "Two Pink Lines" and "Three Year Old"), these pauses served to put a focus on Church's lyrics and the emotional impact of his songs.
Of course, Church had hits like "Drink in my Hand" in his back pocket to rev the crowd back up again.
A rock-and-roll takeoff on country
In a time where some country music fans complain about the takeover of "bro country" or pop influences in the genre, Church provides a rock-and-roll twist that makes him stand out in today's lineup of country artists. One of the early songs the crowd lapped up was "That's Damn Rock and Roll."
Despite his affinity for rock-and-roll, Church's vocals are reminiscent of old country artists. They're incredibly powerful. He really shined on songs from his albums that didn't quite hit mainstream success, like "Knives of New Orleans" or "Chattanooga Lucy."
Showing respect for the greats
Church started his show with a spotlight on a microphone, with "Hallelujah" playing in the background. It was a tribute to Leonard Cohen, who died in November.
He then, later in the show, flashed up a picture of Merle Haggard after his song "Pledge Allegiance to the Hag." Haggard, a country music legend, died in April of last year.
Everything about the show screamed Bruce Springsteen, and Church isn't shy about citing him as one of his biggest inspirations. To close the show (before his multitude of encores, of course) Church led into his hit "Springsteen" with "Thunder Road."
... and to fans
Church connected incredibly well with the audience at The Q. He was always smiling and truly seemed like he thrives under the high pressure of a large crowd and lengthy setlist. Church started his career playing at smaller bars, and at one point told the audience he was going to turn the venue into a dive bar just for the rest of the night.
He didn't quite accomplish that -- there was never that level of intimacy even on slower, more emotional songs -- but he definitely kept fans entertained.
"I watched you cats play the Warriors, you're real good in the second half," he joked just after the show's intermission.
Another bonus for Clevelanders: Church pulled out some impromptu Michael Stanley. He said his manager is from Cleveland and that the band hadn't played the song together yet before launching into Stanley's hit "My Town." The crowd went wild.
Better at Blossom?
Church's arena show was fun, exciting, and refreshing. When it comes to country music in Cleveland, the genre's major shows are normally held at Blossom Music Center. Church did himself a service by not opting for that venue. It definitely wouldn't have worked for the type of concert he pulled off.
Church's show will be one that country music fans in Cleveland will remember for a long time.