Caught In the Act (Live)

His first-ever live album, Eric Church’s Caught in the Act: Live cherry-picks hits and fan favorites from Sinners Like Me, Carolina, and his CMA Award–winning Chief. Church opens with a tension-building version of “Before She Does” as he sneers ”I believe dogs are better than cats/And I believe that Jesus is coming back.” Not only does Caught in the Act do well to showcase the man’s uncanny prowess as a live performer; it also highlights moments of brilliance in which Church pays tribute to his diverse array of influences. During an especially impassioned rendition of “Pledge Allegiance to the Hag,” (honoring Merle Haggard's music), Church and band cleverly slip into a snippet of The Hag’s staple song “Mama Tried.” This extends into the closing “Springsteen,” which nods to The Boss’ “Born to Run.” The most unpredictable of these moments surfaces in “Smoke a Little Smoke.” Over near-hysterical audience cheering, Church cranks up the distortion on his amp and works in Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf.” Outlaw country is alive and well.