It’s time to gather again with Eric Church

Eric Church didn’t just write the chart-topper “Springsteen,” he also acts like the Boss. The energetic country star’s concerts are marathons.

Prepare for a long night when the charismatic multi-instrumentalist headlines Saturday at the Spokane Arena on his new Gather Again Tour. Don’t be surprised if the intense Church plays nearly 40 songs.

Also, for the first time in his career, Church will perform in the round with the stage at the center of the arena floor. The easy-going country artist with the crooked smile doesn’t pander.

Expect quite a bit of his set to be comprised of his most recent albums, “Heart” and “Soul,” which were released last April.

The flyover anthem “Heart on Fire,” the spare ballad “Lynyrd Skynyrd Jones,” the catchy tear-jerker “Kiss Her Goodbye” and the country-soul tune “Rock & Roll Found Me” figure to be fan favorites in a live setting.

Church does it his way. His “Heart & Soul” trilogy was recorded in his favorite North Carolina restaurant, a stone’s throw from his summer home. Church and his longtime collaborator, Jay Joyce, set up a makeshift recording studio in the restaurant that was closed for the winter.

Some of Nashville’s heavy-hitters worked on the albums. Casey Beathard (Trace Adkins, Travis Tritt) has some co-writes with Church. Jeff Steele (Miley Cyrus, Big & Rich), Luke Laird (Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton) and Jeff Hyde (Keith Urban, Easton Corbin) are some of the other Nashville hitmakers who also worked on “Heart & Soul.”

Hopefully Church will dust off the anthemic “Drink in My Hand,” “Homeboy” and “Like a Wrecking Ball” during the Gather Again Tour stop.

Springsteen, who inspired “Heart” and “Soul,” would be impressed by the country sensation’s drive.