A decade on from a year that reshaped modern music, Adelaide Fringe audiences are being invited to relive the soundtrack, stories and cultural impact of 2016 through a powerful new live rockumentary premiering at Gluttony.
Created by the team behind the smash-hit 27 Club, Twenty Sixteen arrives as a must-see show at this year’s festival, combining a theatrical concert, documentary storytelling and an all-star live band to honour the artists we lost and the music that defined a generation.
Across TikTok and Instagram, 2026 is already being dubbed “the new 2016”, with users sharing throwback playlists, photos and memories from what many now see as a defining cultural moment. That nostalgia comes to life on stage in this world-premiere season, which explores a year marked by both immense loss and enduring creative legacy.
The show pays tribute to legends including Prince, David Bowie, George Michael, Leonard Cohen, Maurice White, Sharon Jones and Leon Russell, celebrating their influence through live performance, archival visuals and storytelling that traces how their work shaped modern pop culture.
Presented by Amplified House, Twenty Sixteen follows the runaway success of 27 Club, which built a loyal Fringe following over five years. This new production raises the scale with an immersive concert experience designed to be both entertaining and reflective, blending live music, footage and narrative into a single stage show.
Director and Producer Zac Tyler says the aim is to create a performance that captures the scale of the artists’ influence while reconnecting audiences with the music that shaped their lives.
“Whether in the realm of funk, folk, rock, R&B, soul or pop, these artists we’re celebrating were giants and considered visionaries as they broke new ground and sounds over the course of their multi-decade careers becoming pop culture icons,” he said.
“Their music became the soundtrack to our lives and, ten years on from losing them in 2016, one of the most memorable years in recent history, it’s time to revel in their artistry with a live show that’s both epically entertaining and educational like a good documentary delivers through music, footage and stories.”
Leading the eight-piece band is Australia’s “priestess of soul” Kylie Auldist, best known as the long-time vocalist for The Bamboos. She is joined by fellow lead singers Jaron Jay and Dusty Lee Stephensen, alongside a lineup of acclaimed Adelaide musicians performing at the open-air Fantail stage at Gluttony.
For Auldist, the show carries a personal resonance. “Not only did my father pass away but so did just about every musical idol I ever looked up to. This was also the year that my voice went number one around the world on the global smash hit This Girl (Kungs vs Cookin On Three Burners), so I was incredibly busy and not able to dwell on things. I’m very much looking forward to having some time to reflect on everything that’s happened since and being able to celebrate the music and stories of these incredible artists alongside a talented team of amazing musicians and performers.”
With a limited premiere season and strong Fringe pedigree behind it, Twenty Sixteen is shaping up as one of the festival’s standout music experiences — a nostalgic celebration, a live concert and a cultural time capsule rolled into one.
WHAT: Twenty Sixteen — Adelaide Fringe 2026
Dates: Thursday 19 February to Monday 9 March
Time: 6:30pm
Venue: The Fantail, Gluttony
Tickets: $30–$55
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
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