New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based country songwriter Jenny Mitchell is bringing her raw Americana sound to Newcastle, with a 2027 show alongside the Hunter’s alt-bluegrass outfit Midnight Chicken.
The award-winning singer-songwriter will hit the Playhouse Newcastle in April as part of an Australian tour with Midnight Chicken, following the release of her new single Mr Cotter’s Ridge.
The Newcastle date is one of three NSW shows announced for the tour, which also includes stops in Grenfell and Wagga Wagga before heading south through Victoria.
Mr Cotter’s Ridge is a stripped-back story song inspired by a real-life act of protest in Gippsland’s coastal town of Kilcunda in the 1860s.
The track follows farmer Mr Cotter, who chose to walk away from his land rather than clear three ancient gum trees from his property, with the song exploring themes of land, legacy, conservation and standing up for what matters.
The song was co-written with Jenny Churchill, whose family has farmed land beside Mr Cotter’s for generations, giving the story a direct connection to the landscape and history at its heart.
Mitchell has spent more than a decade building a reputation as one of Aotearoa’s standout country and Americana songwriters.
An Aotearoa Music Award winner and four-time Australian Golden Guitar nominee, she has toured extensively, including 32 dates supporting Kasey Chambers, an opening slot for The Lumineers and a performance at Nashville’s AmericanaFest, while her 2025 album Forest House earned widespread praise.
Jenny Mitchell and Midnight Chicken will play Playhouse Newcastle on Thursday, 2 April 2027. Tickets for the Australian tour go on sale Wednesday, 30 September, with tickets and further information available via jennymitchell.co.nz.
