Bob Evans, the ARIA winning alter ego of Jebediah frontman Kevin Mitchell, has today announced an extensive national Australian tour, hitting up capital cities and regional towns across April, May and June, letting fans know he’ll be treating them to a complimentary six track EP, Zeroes To Heroes, of unreleased material for all tickets purchased from his website and online outlets.  After the release of his critically acclaimed LP Car Boot Sale, and following a packed out co-headline tour alongside Josh Pyke in late 2016, the Lonesome Highways Tour will kick off at Front Bar in Canberra on April 20, before moving through Newcastle, Central Coast, Katoomba, Sydney, Cronulla, Bulli, Toowoomba, Bellingen, Brisbane, Rye, Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide, and wrapping in Castlemaine at the Bridge Hotel on June 9.

Gracing the Australian music scene for more than two decades, Mitchell is a self-confessed romantic who has written some of the country’s most beloved songs.  Under the alias of Bob Evans, Mitchell has released five albums, all of which showcase the versatility and skill of this talented songsmith.  Gentle, acoustic melodies prevail, enveloping the classic folk storytelling and strong emotional pull that characterises Mitchells’ substantial body of work.  Reflecting on his remarkable career, the ever-humble Mitchell says,

“I never could have foreseen where all of this was going to lead way back when I was a teenager just starting out,  making an almighty  racket with Jebediah.  I have been gifted a pretty amazing life and career and I still get such a huge buzz out of it.  Knowing there are people out there who have been supporting me for years and years  just blows me away and makes me want to be better.”

To give fans a taste of what’s coming, Mitchell has today released a live acoustic video of My Matilda, a track from this exclusive package of unreleased material.  “The Golden Age of Showbiz” and “My Matilda” are both songs that just missed out on being recorded for ‘Goodnight, Bull Creek!’ back in 2008 and ‘Car Boot Sale’ just last year. “ I just like ’em and wanted to give them their moment.”  Speaking on the complimentary six track EP for online ticket buyers, Mitchell generously offers,

“I have so many songs that have almost made it on to records in the past but have just missed out for one reason or another and I’ve always wanted to share them with people and I thought this would just be a good way to say thank you to the people who support me.”

Continuing to champion young female artists, Mitchell will name an all-female cast of main supports across each leg of the tour.  Thrilled to embark on such a wide-ranging tour, Mitchell still cherishes the special connection experienced between the performer and the audience, enthusing,

“I’m still really drawn to getting up on stage in front of a room full of strangers and giving myself over to that experience, and trying to create something out of nothing for us all to share.  I’ve honestly been doing it for such a long time now that I wouldn’t know what else to do with myself.  A lot of the time, I feel more comfortable and more myself when I’m onstage than off of it and the feeling of satisfaction I get from playing a good show is unbeatable.”

And what is to be expected from this run of shows?  Mitchell hints at what’s in store for excited audiences,

“These are all going to be intimate shows so it will be very up close and personal.  I’ll be playing songs from across all of my records, a few covers too… I’ll take requests and then screw them up.  We’ll all be firm friends by the end of the night.”

Tickets to the Lonesome Highways Tour will go on sale on March 10 at 10am and all ticket purchases from www.bobevans.com.au and other online outlets will receive an exclusive six track EP of unreleased material.

BOB EVANS LONESOME HIGHWAYS TOUR

THU 20 APR | FRONT BAR, CANBERRA ACT | 18+ no supports
FRI 21 APR | LIZOTTES, NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+ w/ Amy Vee
SAT 22 APR | HARDY’S BAY CLUB, CENTRAL COAST NSW | 18+ no supports
WED 03 MAY | CLARENDON GUEST HOUSE, KATOOMBA NSW | 18+ no supports
FRI 05 MAY | CAMELOT LOUNGE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+ w/ Bree De Rome
SAT 06 MAY | BRASS MONKEY, CRONULLA NSW | 18+ w/ Bree De Rome
SUN 07 MAY | HERITAGE HOTEL, BULLI NSW | 18+ w/ Hannah Park
THU 11 MAY | THE SPOTTED COW, TOOWOOMBA QLD | 18+ w/ Bree De Rome
FRI 12 MAY | 5 CHURCH ST, BELLINGEN NSW | 18+ no supports
SAT 13 MAY | BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRISBANE QLD | 18+ w/ Bree De Rome + Royal & The Southern Echo
THU 01 JUN | BAHA, RYE VIC | 18+ w/ Alana Wilkinson
FRI 02 JUN | THE CROXTON FRONT BAR, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+ w/ Alana Wilkinson
SAT 03 JUN | WORKERS CLUB, GEELONG VIC | 18+ w/ Alana Wilkinson + Rachael Brennan
THU 08 JUN | GRACE EMILY HOTEL, ADELAIDE SA | 18+ w/ Bec Stevens
FRI 09 JUN | BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE VIC | 18+ no supports

For tickets and details head to www.bobevans.com.au

AMN-JT