An inside into the rock’n’roll journey of one of Australia’s leading musicians
Presented by: Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed: 21 June, 2026
Sarah McLeod is a force to be reckoned with. She has rightly earned rock-goddess status in the Australian music industry. Her performance at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival is just another example of what a powerful, captivating and brilliant musician and performer she is.
Sarah McLeod is the founding member, front woman and guitarist of the incredible Australian rock band The Superjesus. They are currently on a huge national tour. She is also well known for her solo career and most recently working with Amplified House with the Fringe smash hit show 27 Club.
There is no denying it — Sarah McLeod is a gifted story-teller and an even greater musician and songwriter. With such a fascinating career to date, this performance gave audiences a glimpse of into the journey Sarah has been on and the stories behind some of her greatest hits.
Sitting casually at the piano, Sarah began her story in 1990 when she turned 19. We heard stories of the formation of The Superjesus, their highs and lows, the branching off to Sarah’s solo career, even the two times she performed at the Playboy Mansion. Opening was a stripped back version of The Superjesus’s 1997 rock anthem Down Again. Other music highlights included Gravity (The Superjesus) which saw Sarah swap the piano for acoustic guitar, He Doesn’t Love You, and Giants.
Joining Sarah on stage was drummer Mick Skelton. Mick is one of Australia’s most sought-after drummers having worked with groups such as The Superjesus, Baby Animals, Thirsty Merc as well as Sarah’s solo performances. He makes drumming look effortless and can produce such a range of music from the kit.
The thing that unfortunately let this performance down was its shape and structure. If a little time was spent crafting and developing the script, a lot more of Sarah’s music industry story would have been heard. It is unfortunate that when reached the limit of its 1-hour time slot, Sarah wrapped the show up quite suddenly and we had only reached 2013 and the release of her huge hit Hurricane.
Sarah McLeod has a great story that should be heard. It would be great after a little refinement to see this show again. Her musicianship is incredible, her personality is warm and inviting and she oozes rock’n’roll.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Photo credit: They Muse
Venue: Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: ended
Duration: 1 hour
