27 Club

27 Club
By Joshua Tyler and Tahli Corin. Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Dunstan Playhouse. JJune 17 – 19, 2015.

It is not unusual to celebrate the works of musicians that have passed, but what sets this show apart from the rest is that it concentrates on those performers who met their maker at the young age of 27. It begs you to look for a connection, to wonder if there was a greater force or whether quite simply it was a bunch of incredibly talented individuals who each struggled with reality and sought comfort and escape that ultimately led to their deaths.

Eccentric showman and singer-songwriter Henry Wagons poses as the narrator for the evening, asking the obvious questions, educating the audience on the background of the iconic stars long gone and revs an already vocal audience up. With a style all his own he begins with a Rolling Stones song in tribute to Brian Jones, who was the founding member of the band. Helping him bring the music to life, the ultimate rock chick Hayley Mary from indie band The Jezabels, Adelaide showgirl Carla Lippis and guitar virtuoso Daniel Champagne. Each brought their own style and wonder to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

With too many highlights to mention and a back catalogue that could have seen them play into the wee hours, musical director John Thorn and his band have done justice to the legends that have been laid to rest, but he and his cast of polished performers make sure the music lives on in this fantastic debut show.

Kerry Cooper

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