"I'm Very Excited": Tyler Childers makes live debut of 'Eatin' Big Time' at Wisconsin show

Tyler Childers released his explosive new album Snipe Hunter on July 25, delivering a 13 song collection full of experimental, lively and unexpected musical genius.

Currently out on his On The Road tour, it was only a matter of time before some of the new tracks found their way onto the setlist. With a sold-out date at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin the day after the album was released, this was the perfect time to let the first new track loose.

The impressive Snipe Hunter, produced by Rick Rubin, contains a couple of familiar favourites. The Kentucky native opened his set with 'Oneida', the previously unreleased fan favourite that has now found its forever home on the new album. Later on in the set, Childers moved away from the main stage and found his place in the lawn seats; going acoustic and performing the stirring track, ‘Nose On The Grindstone’.

For any fans that were hoping to hear one of the brand new songs from that night, they were in luck. Expressing just how proud he was of the new album he decided to make the live debut of the incredible opening track ‘Eatin’ Big Time’, backed by his longtime band The Food Stamps, and it was quite possibly the highlight of the night.

Somewhat unassuming in a green cardigan, playful stage presence and (up until this point) familiar setlist, Childers left it all behind when he threw himself into ‘Eatin Big Time’. With his bold vocals and expressive voice, the moment he took the microphone off its stand and really lost himself in the song demonstrated just how much fun he’s having with his new music. It wasn’t just Childers at his peak though, with many fans taking to social media after the show to enthusiastically sing the praises of the band. The ‘Eatin Big Time’ singer explained that he was “very excited” to be performing these songs live after Snipe Hunter being “two years in the making”. So hopefully we'll be getting a steady stream of new additions to the setlist.

However, as we know, Childers is not a predictable guy, and he sure does like to have fun. Before the release of Snipe Hunter, the country community was convinced that the album would include the legendary ‘Jersey Giant’, a song that Childers wrote over ten years ago, but to fan’s dismay had never been released. When the album’s tracklist was released, 'Jersey Giant' was nowhere to be seen, and people are still missing the song.

In classic Childers style, though, he followed up ‘Eatin Big Time’ with a low-key performance of ‘Jersey Giant’. Whether that was to please the fans that have been missing the song, or for his own amusement as he’s likely very aware of the theories that were surrounding it, there's no denying that he likes to have fun on stage. It’s also likely that we’ll never fully know the reason for his mixed relationship with the song.

Especially after the release of the sonically surprising Snipe Hunter, there's just no predicting what he'll do next. Childers seems to be living entirely in his own world - we’re just lucky to be let in on it sometimes.

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