FRINGE REVIEW: 27 Club

“It’s a revolving door of multi-versed vocalists, and between songs, we're schooled on the history of rock with special ‘after-dark’ commentary.”

Words by Kate Johnson

Image by Saige Prime

Where is the coolest place to be on a Saturday night? The Fringe's 27 Club after-dark show. In the back corner of Gluttony sits an open-air tent where the seats are ditched and we’re invited to dance through the eras of forever-27 legends. Some of our top Aussie musical talents step into the roles of Hendrix, Winehouse and Morrison alike. They own that stage, all while having as much fun as we do. 

‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ looks and sounds like the real thing with Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah) imitating Cobain with accuracy, passion and grit. You can tell they’re happy to be there: the drummer has the biggest grin and the keyboardist looks proud. Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus) uses the drumkit as a springboard – all with a microphone in hand. She gives it everything and might convince every girl to become a rockstar. Meanwhile, Rachel Vidoni steps into Winehouse’s high heels. She’s a jaw-dropping powerhouse who demands your attention. Gaz, an energiser bunny from the audience sums her up best: “Fuck, she’s good.”

It’s a revolving door of multi-versed vocalists, and between songs, we're schooled on the history of rock with special ‘after-dark’ commentary. They take notice of the punters too, and we especially like the line "that guy has been high since Janice did Woodstock..." that was directed at one glassy-eyed audience member. 

27 Club is a moment, a journey and a game-changer for cover bands. Karen, another elated audience member says it best: “It was my whole life wrapped up in that show. I was emotional. It was beautiful. I started crying.”

27 Club runs until March 17 with one late-night show on March 15. Tickets are available on the Adelaide Fringe website.