The 27 Club review

Hard, rock music has different hues for different people but the thumping 27 Club show at the Adelaide Fringe offers the most quintessential of them all.

A homage to the host of artists who moved to their own beat but who weirdly died aged 27, this must be among the best Fringe shows ever, with its mix of emotion, nostalgia and energy all transferred to an audience ranging from ‘head-banging’’ 60-plus-year-olds to several kids, the youngest no more than 15-years-old. 

Adelaide’s own Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Carla Lippis, Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah), and Dusty Lee Stephensen with the Wanderers pumped out non-stop hits by Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse, who all died tragically at the peak of fame.

African-American blues singer/song writer Robert Johnson – dubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as “the first ever rock star’’ – also featured in an hour of epics, brilliantly performed by the powerful voices of McLeod and Lippis with quality support from Mitchell, Stephensen and the band. 

Little, old Adelaide has produced dozens of incredible rock musicians and this collection of creative, raw talent sits among the best.

Musically tight, with neat guitar harmonies and a thumping based beat that hit you in the chest while seated in the middle of the outdoor theatre. The near capacity audience was drenched by persistent thunderstorms before the show but not one person care after the opening featuring, Hendrix’ Purple Haze.

Then, with power and tuneful sweetness, Lippis paid tribute to Amy Winehouse – “You Know I’m no Good”, Rehab’ - and when McLeod opened her spot with Janis Joplin’s, Cry Baby,  the entire audience – including a handful of young teens - stripped away any veil of Adelaide politeness to rock to their feet. 

Sporting a rhinestone-studded moon boot on her fractured foot ("from partying''), McLeod let out the first line of Cry Baby and it seemed she had channelled Janis Joplin for a moment, as the rain stopped and blue sky appeared ... "the Lord was happy with us today’’ said McLeod later. 

But this was not imitation show. Each of these artists have incredible talents. Lippis has an exceptional vocal range and McLeod rocks, plus her guitar work matched Stephensen, - who, like Hendrix, briefly played with the instrument behind his head - "grunge man'' Mitchell and the band, who each had feature moments.

Morrison’s “People are Strange’’ united the group into a high spot and Joplin’s anthems, Mercedes Benz, Me and Bobby McGee and Piece of my Heart had McLeod jumping off the base drum with an obvious grimace but the power of the music and the wild reaction of the audience took away the pain.

Now ended at the Adelaide Fringe, 27 Club is heading interstate and perhaps the Edinburgh Festival in August, according the Stephensen.

It will be a hit anywhere because hard, rock music done well never ages. That’s the priceless legacy Hendrix, Morrison, Joplin, Winehouse, Cobain and Johnson left and the 27 Club is continuing.