From Amy Winehouse to Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, 27 Club honours all those who will forever be 27. This Fringe show captivates the audience, bringing them to their feet and touching nostalgic heartstrings. (Image: Emily Hutchinson)
By Emily Hutchinson | @em47456
On a balmy Tuesday evening in The Fantail at Gluttony, the atmosphere was nothing short of sublime. It seemed like everyone in the crowd had assembled for a singular purpose: connection.
I can’t lie; I was hesitant to take a stroll through my musical youth with my guitar aficionado companion. I had last seen Kevin Mitchell (Bob Evans, Jebediah) and Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus) at some point during my travels in the 90s. For those of us of a certain age, seeing a band comprised of these two is both beautiful and surprising! Joining them on stage were Dusty Lee Stephensen, Justin Buford (End of Fashion), Sean Holton (Southern Empire), and Carla Lippis (Mondo Psycho) who formed a veritable supergroup expertly backed by a tight band that was sure to surprise even the harshest of music critics.
27 Club is a respectfully curated journey into the musical legacies of musicians whose light dimmed at the age of 27 — among them Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix — and whose music is still reverberating through the generations. My favourite aspect of this show is that suicide and addiction aren’t commodified.
Once the opening set kicked off, there was no rest for the mesmerised crowd as each artist thundered through a cohesive set of classics.
The mood was set for a night of unbridled musical emancipation.
From the moment the band took to the stage the atmosphere was electric; each artist performed with precision and finesse, imbuing their chosen club member with a sense of eternal musical magic. The sensitive nature of the infamous ‘27 Club’ brought the audience together. From curious punters to astute lovers of music — and people who grew up in the shadow of Janis Joplin — everyone was pulled to their feet.
Open-air venue set up for 27 Club’s performance at Gluttony. (Image: Emily Hutchinson)
Set in an open-air venue, Adelaide supplied perfect weather for the night. This, combined with the expansion of Gluttony, has created a thriving hub for Fringe lovers to mix, mingle and discover.
The show set a standard for artists seeking to inject the spark every passionate storyteller seeks to give the audience. It was technically and aurally flawless.
If at least one person dancing with reckless abandon found their voice during the performance, then the work of the artists is done.
I know I am not meant to give five stars. However, I am also not meant to eat salt. Five stars!
Catch performances of the 27 Club at 6:30pm throughout Mad March. Find dates for the show here.
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