Bob Evans announces Suburban Songbook 20th anniversary tour

One of Western Australia’s most beloved singer-songwriters, Bob Evans, is heading on tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his 2006 sophomore album Suburban Songbook.

Performing the record in its entirety with a full band, Evans kicks off the tour at Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, September 5, before heading across the country for performances in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney.

An album that would pave the way for an enduring legacy, Suburban Songbook played a pivotal role in showcasing the expansive songwriting craftsmanship of Bob Evans, aka Kevin Mitchell. Renowned at the time for his tenure as frontman for alt-rockers Jebediah, Kevin adopted the pseudonym Bob Evans and released the debut album Suburban Kid in 2003, before penning the Suburban Songbook in Perth and recording the album in Nashville with producer Brad Jones.

“When I think back to going to Nashville in 2005 to make the record and the whole two years that followed the album’s release, it does feel like a whole other life almost,” Bob Evans said. “I was coming fresh out of 10 years with Jebediah, and even though I had been working on the Bob Evans thing for a while, it was always a side project that was never very serious. But with Suburban Songbook things were getting much more serious, both creatively and professionally. I guess when I think back to that time, I see a someone who is still a kid but not for very much longer. It was very much a transitional time of my life. I feel way older now!”

Led by the album’s breakout hit single, Don’t You Think It’s Time, Suburban Songbook debuted at #16 on the ARIA Album charts, took home the 2006 ARIA Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, was nominated for Australian Album of the Year at triple j’s 2006 J Awards and went on to be certified Gold.

A special 20th anniversary edition of Suburban Songbook is also set to be available digitally and on vinyl on Friday, September 4, with the remastered digital reissue of the album featuring several never-before-released demos. “I am putting up all the demos of songs that never made the record,” Evans said. “These are the authentic four-track versions made in the back sunroom of my little Perth rental between 2003 and 2006. They are raw to say the least!”

Bob Evans’ Suburban Songbook 20th Anniversary Tour hits Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from tickets.oztix.com.au