Image credit: Saige Prime
Presented by: Release Creative
Reviewed 24th February 2022
Electrifying and magnetic – the 27 Club oozed rock n’ roll sex appeal as several talented musicians paid tribute to the legends who left us too soon: Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.
The 27 Club was like being at Woodstock (or Glastonbury in Winehouse’s case), but seated, as the crowds sang to the iconic tunes that have struck a chord with generations long after the artists passing. While the Adelaide Fringe is many miles (and years) away from the festivals known for musical escapism, the lead vocalist talent, in Sarah McLeod, Kevin Mitchell, Libby O’Donovan* and Dusty Lee, transported you back to when rock n’ roll was in its glory days.
O’Donovan’s haunting rendition of Nirvana’s Lithium, stripped back from its usual heavy self, painted a picture of how the late Cobain was feeling, letting the twisted lyrics puncture the audience. Her known Jazz vocals translated well to Cobain’s famed grunge voice. Her talent is undeniable, and it was great to see her perform in this type of show.
McLeod’s voice was made to sing Janis Joplin. The opening lines of Cry Baby were enough to give you goosebumps, as her powerful, yet controlled, raspy vocals sang 60s rock like it’s meant to be: loud. Tatted, with a slicked blonde bob and a velvet red jumpsuit, McLeod made the stage her own and even gave a cheeky shout out to her mother as she moved through the crowd.
Winehouse’s renowned jazz was performed in a tender rendition by Mitchell, who played You Know I’m No Good acoustically, a single spotlight commanding the audience’s attention. Mitchell, whose stage name is Bob Evans, steered the ship of the show, guiding the audience through the trials and tribulations of the rock legends immortalised. Lee, alongside his musical partner in The Wanderers, shredded the guitar (at times with his teeth), bringing bravado and brilliance to the 27 Club.
The instruments were a clear extension of the musicians’ bodies as they performed on stage the same way Morrison and Hendrix did. My only gripe would be that sometimes, they embodied the persona a little too strongly, distracting from the incredible vocals filling the open-air auditorium.
A personal favourite from the show was the history peppered between each set, giving insight into the headspace each artist was in when writing the hit tracks. Kicking back on vintage armchairs and watching the show themselves, each vocalist was immersed in the 27 Club as much as the audience. But one thing is clear: they don’t make music like this anymore.
The 27 Club is a rock n’ roll aficionados must-see. A true tribute to the legends that left us too soon.
Reviewed by Zara Richards
Twitter @zaraadelaide
*Carla Lippis is also sharing the stage with Libby O’Donovan.
Venue: The Moa, Gluttony Murlawirrapurka/Rymill Park, Adelaide.
Season: February 26 to March 6 2022
Duration: 1 hour
Tickets: $39-$55
Bookings: Click here.
Rating out of 5: 4.5
#Adelaide #ADLFringe @gluttony_fringe
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