Morgan Evans may have relocated to Nashville in 2017, but he retains a robust following back home. Captured over two nights at Australia’s most prestigious venue, this hour-long live album bolsters his hits with some deeper cuts, savvy guest turns, and crowd sing-alongs. From the rollicking heartland opener “Young Again”—documenting the roller-coaster freedom of youth—the audience demonstrates a keenness to join right in. Especially affecting is when they take up the lyrics midway through Evans’ finger-picked instrumental version of bush ballad “Waltzing Matilda” and when they support guest John Williamson on his 1989 conservation anthem “Rip Rip Woodchip,” with Evans as a side player. He also happily shares the spotlight with pop star Kita Alexander when she performs “Date Night,” her 2023 duet with Evans. But there’s no mistaking that this is his show, even when he dips briefly into a few covers as interludes. Big rock moments thrive alongside his recurring theme of drinking as a means of catharsis—both elements grace his 2017 breakthrough “Kiss Somebody”—and Evans caps things off with his 2023 post-divorce account, “On My Own Again.” Echoing that opening track, it’s a bittersweet reflection on the ups and downs of suddenly being free.
You Might Also Like
- Dylan Wright
- Wesley Dean