Tag: Morgan Evans

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Steel Town” – Morgan Evans

For a long time, I’ve said if you’ve never lived in Mulubinba/Newcastle, you don’t really understand how special the place is. It’s one of those cities that never leaves your heart, no matter how far you move away. Once a Novocastrian, always a Novocastrian. But now with the release of Steel Town, I think Morgan Evans might have given the country the scoop. His third album is a beautiful love letter to the place he still calls home and the feelings associated with it.

As someone born and raised in Newy, I was thrilled to hear the references to Burton Road, The Cambridge Hotel, and the rowdy home ground crowd (if you’ve ever been to a Knights game, you know) in the title track. It’s the perfect opener, rooting this album in a place that means so much to Morgan and many of his loyal fans. But he understands that many of the people who listen to his music don’t know Newy, and so other songs tap into the essence of the city without being so specific. If you’ve ever frequented local watering holes like The Del or The Lucky, you understand the culture that drinking songs like “Beer Back Home” and “Another Drink Coming” bring to life. But these songs could just as easily be written about pubs across Australia, bars across America, and beyond. “Land I Love” is a more general tribute to Australia, one which takes us from the white sand and crashing waves of the coast to the “red dirt tracks” of the Outback.

Then there are the stunning love songs celebrating the feeling of home that you get when you’re with the right one. “Two Broken Hearts,” a duet with American singer-songwriter and new love interest Laci Kaye Booth, talks about mending the pain with the right person. Her home state gets a nod in “She Talks About Texas.” The closer, “Settle It Down” perfectly brings together those ideas of love and home.

Listening to Steel Town, it seems like this is the album Morgan Evans was always meant to make. It’s a loving tribute to the things that matter most to him, although it’s accessible enough to touch the hearts of fans far beyond his hometown. As a Novocastrian, I’m very proud of this one, but I hope the rest of the world gets behind it too.

Steel Town is out now. Morgan will play Meatstock this month before kicking off his Aussie tour in May.

11 April 2026 – Meatstock @ Toowoomba Showgrounds, Giabal and Jarowair Country/Toowoomba
18 April 2026 – Meatstock @ Lardner Park, Gunaikurnai/Gippsland
21 May 2026 – ICF Warehouse, Boorloo/Perth (18+)
23 May 2026 – Forum Melbourne, Naarm/Melbourne (18+)
25 May 2026 – Thebarton Theatre, Tarntanya/Adelaide (Lic. All Ages)
27 May 2026 – Enmore Theatre, Eora/Sydney (Lic. All Ages)
30 May 2026 – The Fortitude Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane (18+)
2 June 2026 – Powerstation, Auckland (18+)
4 June 2026 – Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch (Lic. All Ages)

Photo credit: Nick Swift

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Morgan Evans Releases “Steel Town” Single Ahead of Album Release, Tour

Although I live in Darkinjung Country/Central Coast now, Mulubinba/Newcastle will always be home to me. Those roots run deep, and it’s something you can’t properly understand unless you grew up there too. So it’s warmed my heart to hear music from Morgan Evans’ forthcoming album Steel Town, including the recently released title track. This music pays homage to our shared hometown in such a heartfelt, authentic way.

“’Steel Town’ is about where I come from and why I am the way I am,” Morgan explained. “Newy was a beautiful place to grow up, but also a tough one, and we poured all of that into this record.”

Morgan will release his Steel Town album on March 20 before embarking on the biggest tour of his career in May. American country star and his duet partner on the recently released single “Two Broken Hearts,” Laci Kaye Booth, will join him for these theatre shows. Before that, you can also see Morgan at Meatstock. There’s a Frontier member presale for the Steel Town tour today at 2 pm before the general sale tomorrow at 2.

11 April 2026 – Meatstock @ Toowoomba Showgrounds, Giabal and Jarowair Country/Toowoomba
18 April 2026 – Meatstock @ Lardner Park, Gunaikurnai/Gippsland
21 May 2026 – ICF Warehouse, Boorloo/Perth (18+)
23 May 2026 – Forum Melbourne, Naarm/Melbourne (18+)
25 May 2026 – Thebarton Theatre, Tarntanya/Adelaide (Lic. All Ages)
27 May 2026 – Enmore Theatre, Eora/Sydney (Lic. All Ages)
30 May 2026 – The Fortitude Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane (18+)
2 June 2026 – Powerstation, Auckland (18+)
4 June 2026 – Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch (Lic. All Ages)

Photo credit: Nick Swift

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Morgan Evans Covers “How to Make Gravy”

I wasn’t going to let Gravy Day go by without posting a version of Paul Kelly’s classic Christmas song, “How to Make Gravy.” There are so many to choose from, but I couldn’t resist the version Morgan Evans released last month. It’s got a country feel and that certain longing that comes from living so far away from home.

“Recording ‘How To Make Gravy’ came with a weight and responsibility. It’s one of the greatest songs ever written,” Morgan said. “It’s not your typical Christmas song, but it’s always hit me right in the guts. Anyone who’s ever spent Christmas away from home knows that feeling. I wanted to make a version in 2025 that honors Paul Kelly’s original, but brings a little country soul, texture and the emotion that comes with that. What a song. Means a lot to release my own version. Have a Merry Christmas!”

Morgan lovers will get more music when he releases his sophomore album Steel Town on March 20 He’ll also be back in Oz early in 2026 for the following festivals:

14 February 2026 – Howlin Country @ Newcastle Foreshore, Mulubinba/Newcastle
10-11 April 2026 – Meatstock @ Toowoomba Showgrounds, Giabal and Jarowair Country/Toowoomba
17-18 April 2026 – Meatstock @ Lardner Park, Gunaikurnai/Gippsland

Photo credit: Nick Swift

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Morgan Evans Celebrates Hometown With Latest Single, Album

As a Novocastrian born and bred, I’m incredibly proud of the place I grew up and its musical exports. My heart is so full seeing hometown hero Morgan Evans taking the world by storm. His career might have taken him to Nashville, but his heart is never far from Mulubinba/Newcastle.

After recently signing a new deal with the Virgin Music Group, Morgan has just released his latest single “Beer Back Home,” which was no doubt inspired by boozy nights out at local haunts like The Del or Stag and Hunter. The single gives us our first taste of Morgan’s sophomore album Steel City, which drops on March 20.

“I’m stoked to partner with Virgin Music Group on this record,” Morgan said. “They’ve built a global team that gets Nashville, Europe, Australia, and they get me. The industry’s changing fast, but their model keeps artists in control, especially creatively. I couldn’t be prouder of this new music or more excited to share it with the world alongside the legends at VMG. Let’s go!”

Morgan will be back in the Steel City on February 14 for the Howlin’ Country Music Festival. He’ll also play Meatstock in Giabal and Jarowair Country/Toowoomba and Gunaikurnai/Gippsland in April before returning to the United States.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Morgan Evans Releases Another Festive Bop, “Christmas in the Backyard”

Morgan Evans loves a Christmas song. In 2021, he dropped his Aussie-flavoured festive fave, “Christmas in the Sun.” Now he’s released a follow-up “Christmas in the Backyard.”

It’s a little by the numbers, with a simple melody and more references to Aussie Christmas traditions than you can poke a stick at. But there’s also something comforting about a song that encourages you to start singing along to the chorus from the first run-through. And Morgan is an absolute charmer.

“Christmas in the Backyard” is a worthy addition to your holiday playlist this year.

Image used with permission from Chugg Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

James Johnston and Zac & George Team Up For “Some Things Never Change”

James Johnston has just dropped his latest country charmer, and he’s got some friends along for the ride. “Some Things Never Change” features Zac & George, a country duo from Eora/Sydney who now split their time between Australia and Nashville. James teamed up with Zac & George in the final hours of a songwriting pilgrimage to America’s country capital, and the rest is history.

“Listening back to the demo on the plane ride home, I knew we had captured something special,” James said. “I wanted to record and release it in a way I had never seen anyone do before.”

So he produced the song in secret with just one thing missing: Zac & George’s vocals, which they recorded during their next visit home. The day after laying down the tracks, they were heading to James’ hometown of Dharawal Country/Wingham to shoot the music video.

“The video was truly special, to be back in my hometown with the boys at the local pub I used to go to every Friday night, it just felt right that the video for ‘Some Things Never Change’ was captured there,” James said. The people you see in the video are also James’ fans, who descended on the pub to create the right party atmosphere after he put the call out on social media.

Riding high on the release of “Some Things Never Change,” James will start touring with another friend, Morgan Evans. He’ll also appear at some choice festivals in the coming months. Catch him anywhere you can!

31 August 2023 – Fortitude Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane (with Morgan Evans)
2 September 2023 – Canberra Theatre, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country/Canberra (with Morgan Evans) (SOLD OUT)
4 September 2023 – Civic Theatre, Mulubinba/Newcastle (with Morgan Evans)
5 September 2023 – Civic Theatre, Mulubinba/Newcastle (with Morgan Evans)
7 September 2023 – The Powerstation, Auckland (with Morgan Evans)
9 September 2023 – Civic Theatre, Mulubinba/Newcastle (with Morgan Evans) (SOLD OUT)
11 September 2023 – Fortitude Music Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane (with Morgan Evans) (SOLD OUT)
14 September 2023 – Palais Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne (with Morgan Evans)
15 September 2023 – Palais Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne (with Morgan Evans) (SOLD OUT)
17 September 2023 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Tartanya/Adelaide (with Morgan Evans)
19 September 2023 – Astor Theatre, Boorloo/Perth (with Morgan Evans) (SOLD OUT)
20 September 2023 – Astor Theatre, Boorloo/Perth (with Morgan Evans)
30 September 2023 – Deni Ute Muster, Barababaraba Country/Deniliquin
6 October 2023 – Savannah in the Round, Muluridji Country/Mareeba
1–8 December 2023 – Cruisin’ Country

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Morgan Evans Returns Home For Intimate Shows

Since I’ve gotten home from holidays, I feel like I’m playing catch-up. I’ve been catching up on work, catching up on washing, and perhaps most importantly catching up on TV. While I didn’t see it when it aired, I was thrilled to catch our very own Morgan Evans making his American TV debut on The Bachelorette. While it’s not the coolest program, his appearance singing “Kiss Somebody” left no doubt that he’s going to go gangbusters in America. He just oozes charisma, he’s easy on the eye, and he’s bloody talented to boot.

With Morgan threatening to take America by storm, we can expect the Nashville-based singer’s visits home to become less frequent. When he does come back, he’s going to play stadiums before too long. So if you’re a fan, you’ll want to snap up tickets for his gigs this September. Catch him singing “Kiss Somebody,” the new single “Day Drunk,” and all your favourites at the following shows.

5 September 2018 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
6 September 2018 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
9 September 2018 – The Tivoli, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Chugg Entertainment