[Live Review] BOB EVANS

Bob Evans - Linda Wales 14

Lizotte’s, Kincumber
Thursday September 5, 2013 :

After releasing his fourth studio album, Familiar Stranger, earlier in the year, touring has become a common theme for Bob Evans (Kevin Mitchell), this time embarking solo on a 16 date, self-driven mission of music and good deeds. After announcing on his Facebook page last week that he had been inspired to put all spare change/tips at the Merch Desk to the best of his use, punters were becoming increasing generous with the old “Keep the change”… Hats of to Kev-Bob, what a champ!

Riding the karma train right into Kincumber, Evans took to the stage in distinctive charm, rocking his usual get-up of a blue velour jacket, a guitar complete with fairy lights, and a bottle of red to swig upon. Filling the cozy surround with the warming strums of ‘Footscray Park’ in that classic “round the campfire” feels that any Bob Evans live experience naturally creates. From ‘Nowhere Without You’ to ‘Hand Me Downs’, Evans exposed his down to earth, merry charm, sharing a few tales along the way; including the one behind the lyric change in the first verse of ‘Hand Me Downs’ as once suggested by an audience member, entailing the irony of an Aria Award winning song-writer having to steal lyric’s from a punter.

That’s the thing with Bob Evans… his chatty, wit-filled knack makes him seem like your life-long pal, rather an Aria-Award winning artist. 

Reaching out to take a small-bodied 12-string off the rack, Evans explained that he was feeling the pressure of using such an instrument more then ever at Lizottes, as the guitar itself was designed by Diesel (Mark Lizotte) – “it feels like I’m bringing it to its spiritual home”. Safe to say Diesel would be proud.

Soon Evans ditched the stage and took to pacing the dining-room floor, delighting the crowd with perhaps his most known song ‘Don’t You Think It’s Time’. The audience found their voices joining in the choir-like moment making it feel less like a gig and more like a gloriously intimate dinner party with an unarguably talented host. 
Before long the night had readied itself for an encore, with Evans suggesting he might skip the traditional encore scenario, and he instead take a seat with a table of punters blending in as the crowd beckoned for his return, and that he did; clearly making the table of four’s night with his loveable antics before returning to the stage with a subtle “Aw shucks folks, I had nothing planned!” Highlighting Evans crackerjack quality of never allowing a dull moment to creep into his set.

Reviewer: Chloe Webb
Photographer: Linda Wales

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