Sarah McLeod's 27 Club Rock Spectacle Arrives in Perth for Fringe World 2026
Australian rock icon Sarah McLeod, celebrated frontwoman of The Superjesus, is set to bring the powerful live experience 27 Club to Perth for the first time. The show will debut at The Rechabite in Northbridge as part of Fringe World 2026, marking a significant addition to the festival's music lineup.
A Personal Connection to the Legendary 27 Club
For McLeod, the year 2000 holds profound personal significance. It was during this period that she released The Superjesus' hit single Gravity from their second studio album Jet Age. Having recently moved to Melbourne, living in the band house, and beginning a relationship with Silverchair's Chris Joannou, McLeod also celebrated her 27th birthday.
This age coincides with what has become known as music's haunting 27 Club—a tragic collection of legendary artists including Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse, all of whom died at age 27.
"Funny now I think about it that was the peak of our fame and excess as well," McLeod reflects, having recently returned to Melbourne from Brisbane. "It never occurred to me that I was 27. Perhaps it's getting over that peak, surviving through the maxed-out years. You either push through and become a career musician or you peak and fall off the giant cog that is the music business machine . . . only to be crushed at the bottom."
She continues with insight gained from experience: "Some survive and get back on the small cog to work their way up to the big cog again, some don't get that chance. I'm going to be 53 in a couple of weeks, and I survived the big cog."
From Adelaide Fringe Success to Perth Debut
McLeod is emerging from what she describes as "a Superjesus bubble," having spent much of the past two years working on the band's self-titled album released in March 2025 and its subsequent tour. She is currently developing her next solo record while maintaining her commitment to 27 Club.
The show first premiered at Adelaide Fringe in 2021, where it won the best music award. Since then, it has toured extensively across Australia and even reached the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. McLeod has performed alongside notable musicians including Kevin Mitchell of Jebediah and Bob Evans fame, Dusty Lee Stephensen from Wanderers, and Carla Lippis of Mondo Psycho.
Producers have announced that Mitchell, who was raised in Bull Creek, will unfortunately not appear in the Perth season due to a family emergency. Despite this change, the show promises to deliver its signature electrifying rock experience.
Honoring Legends Through Authentic Performance
The production, directed by Zac Tyler of Amplified House, approaches its subject with reverence rather than imitation. 27 Club salutes the ill-fated members of the legendary group by performing a set list that includes iconic tracks such as:
- Piece of My Heart
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- Rehab
- Light My Fire
- Foxy Lady
- Mercedes Benz
McLeod recalls how producers initially contacted her through direct messages with their concept for the show. "Normally I wouldn't take unsolicited gigs cause I don't know what I'm getting into, but this concept really excited me, so I gave it a season as a trial and never left," she shares.
"I loved the concept, and I knew it would work and be fun. I had just come from acting in some theatre shows like Jane Eyre and American Idiot, so I was up for more different and challenging work. Playing in the same band all your life gets boring."
A Powerful Rockumentary Experience
McLeod describes 27 Club as a powerful live rockumentary that navigates the full spectrum of human emotion. "It's moving and that's what art is for, to move people and make them feel," she explains. "People leave with huge smiles and their cup is full. I love being a part of that."
The performers approach the material with authenticity rather than caricature. "We just do it the way it feels for us. We're not dressing up as them and putting on funny accents or anything . . . although one year I rocked up in a questionable outfit that was quickly dismissed from wardrobe," McLeod adds with humor.
Fringe World Transformation and Audience Connection
When McLeod first embarked on this project, the fringe scene was unfamiliar territory. "(I was) thinking it was only circus and cabaret performers," she admits freely. Now, she credits the experience with making her a better performer overall.
"(It's) helped me to get out of my own way and just go for it and have fun, that's what it's all about, having fun," she says. "If we have fun, you'll have fun. For a theatre show, our producers are not at all strict, they let us have a few beers on stage and let go, they allow us to make it real. No one's acting up there. We also have such a great band and that gives you confidence, you know it's gonna be unreal every night."
This authentic approach creates what McLeod believes is escapism at its finest for audiences. "It's a release from their day-to-day lives, to immerse themselves in the power of real rock 'n' roll with all its gritty stories unravelling in front of them," she elaborates.
"It's a giant release and reset. Turn your phone off and dance to the music that shaped your youth. It's therapy really."
27 Club will be performed at The Rechabite in Northbridge until February 15 as part of Fringe World 2026, offering Perth audiences a unique opportunity to experience this celebrated musical tribute.
