Declared “a masterclass in rock ‘n’ roll”, Amplified House’s debut rock music show, 27 Club, will have you praying to the rock gods for more. A hit show at Edinburgh Fringe and winner of the Best Music Award at Adelaide Fringe, 27 Club features music and lore from Joplin, Winehouse, Cobain, Morrison, Hendrix and more performed by Aussie rock legends Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Dusty Lee Stephensen and Carla Lippis. Ahead of its upcoming season at The Rechabite from Wednesday, January 21 to Sunday, February 15, 2026, and with tickets on sale now, Natasha Paul sat down with director and producer Zac Tyler and Sarah McLeod to find out more.
Hello and welcome to Fringe World Perth! How does it feel to bring the rock music show, 27 Club, to WA and The Rechabite for the first time, and what can audiences expect?
SARAH MCLEOD: I am constantly surprised as to where this show takes me; what started as an upstart in Adelaide has begun to spread its tentacles all over the world, and it’s high time we brought it to WA! This show seems to hit people hard and fast, and hang on tight; we get people coming over and over again. It’s crazy. I guess it’s the music, but it’s also a very well put together show with incredible musicians and gripping stories.
27 Club features music and lore from rock legends, with performances from yourself along with Dusty Lee Stephensen and Carla Lippis! What’s it like working with these artists, and what unique aspects or talents do they bring to the show?
SARAH MCLEOD: This cast is a total vibe both onstage and off. Everyone brings 110% every single night. I always learn something from each of them at every gig…whoever cast us was a genius. Everyone’s got their something.
The show was a hit at Edinburgh Fringe and won the Best Music Award at Adelaide Fringe. Why do you think the show resonates so well with all music lovers, young or old?
SARAH MCLEOD: The music is killer, the set that’s been curated is undeniable, and hearing the stories behind the songs and lives of the artists gives really interesting context and helps to connect with the show. It’s a blaze from beginning to end; we all perform harder in this than we do in usual productions… it feels different, and I think that’s a lot to do with the chemistry.
If you could travel back in time and watch any of these artists performing at their peak, who would it be and why?
SARAH MCLEOD: I would love to see all of them, oh my gosh… Jim Morrison maybe the most. I don’t think anyone would have a clue what they’re in for when he walks on stage.
What is your favourite song or artist from the 27 Club?
SARAH MCLEOD: Hendrix—genius.
Finally, and away from the 27 Club, you have been an influential lead artist in your own right, with The Superjesus. Are there any plans to reunite and tour again? You are also a strong mentor for young women entering the industry. What key advice do you have for them?
SARAH MCLEOD: Yeah, we released a new Superjesus album last year and toured it around Australia and New Zealand. Advice? Keep it real and raise your bar just enough to feel like you could reach it, then raise it a little more, then a little more. Then whatever you want is always within your reach and not some giant distant dream.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the show? What do you think it was about these rock icons that made them live on in rock and roll folklore the way they have?
ZAC TYLER: The inspiration behind the show was actually an idea I had back in 2013, a couple of years after the death of Amy Winehouse, which was to create a show for school-aged kids to help them navigate the world of drugs and alcohol through the music and stories of the 27 Club artists. However, the idea soon became much bigger than this—as most of my ideas tend to do!—and since its premiere in 2015, it has become a show for people of all ages, and we don’t have an agenda. We make observations and some links, but it’s really an opportunity to spend some time with the amazing music these artists wrote and to learn a little about their lives in a show that captures some of the energy and authenticity of these iconic 27 Club artists.
These artists have lived on in rock and roll folklore, not just because they all died at 27 years of age, but because they each were the voices of their generation. They inspired social change, found new sounds and were unique individuals that had interesting perspectives on the world around them, and people wanted to listen.
Amplified House often specialises in story-rich, music-driven shows. What makes 27 Club so different from your other shows, like Simply Brill and Disco Wonderland?
ZAC TYLER: 27 Club is like experiencing a rock show mixed with a documentary mixed with a cabaret/concert. We have used many art forms in creating and presenting this show, which include video, spoken word, illustration and audio clips, all ultimately to serve the music and create a world that works in different settings, from big outdoor festivals to intimate regional theatres and everything in between.
The main difference from our other shows is the rock show element. This is a genuine rock show, and it features rock stars like Sarah McLeod that have lived that life, but they can also perform in this theatrical concert-style show. Each of our Amplified House shows features a different style of music and different types of stories, from the disco era to early rock and roll in Australia and 1980s global pop anthems. So all our shows are different, but 27 Club is definitely our only genuine rock show.
What does the future hold for Amplified House? Do you have any potential ideas for future cabaret, theatre or music shows?
ZAC TYLER: Hopefully the future is big and long. We are trying to create a breadth of work that has global appeal and doesn’t have expiry dates… so we hope to continue to build and be around for a while. In terms of ideas…we have a long list and have created a series called Amplified Live: House Sessions to start sharing these ideas and bring our audience along for the ride. 2026 is going to be a big year for the company, and along with 27 Club touring Australia, NZ, the UK and Europe, we have a brand new show premiering at the Adelaide Fringe called Twenty Sixteen. This show is a follow-up to 27 Club, so a similar style…but it will have its own look and feel, and hopefully our audience will get behind it.
27 Club hits The Rechabite Hall at The Rechabite from Wednesday, January 21 to Sunday, February 15, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au
