Remember the thrill of cracking open a brand-new 'So Fresh' CD, straight from the shelves of Sanity, with your hard-earned Maccas money?
If that memory makes you feel some kind of way, then hold on to your Motorola Razr, because 'So Fresh! Hits Of The 2000s' is here, ready to transport you to the noughties in the most spectacular fashion at Adelaide Fringe.
After a sell-out, award-winning season in 2024, 'So Fresh!' returns bigger, brighter, and bolder, led by the unstoppable Chloe Castledine, leading Adelaide events band The Cast, and a 10-piece ensemble including the Impact Entertainment dancers. This is not just a tribute gig – it’s a full-blown, immersive, glitter-drenched, choreographed Y2K explosion. It's a sensory overload of pop, rock, and everything in between, where the music doesn't stop and the outfits come one after the other.
“I grew up wanting so badly to be a pop-star, so as a young adult stepping into Y2K – artists like Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, The Veronicas and bands like Evanescence and Coldplay really lit a fire in me and fuelled that desire,” Chloe Castledine says. “But who had the cash to spend on each album? Those ‘So Fresh’ CDs were a life saver. The music of that day shaped my whole career.”
Image © Rachel Scholich
Whether you were screaming along to ‘Sk8er Boi’ in your cargo pants or dramatically belting out ‘Bring Me To Life’ in your bedroom (black eyeliner mandatory), this show promises to hit every nostalgic nerve.
Plus, the genres are many and varied – there'll even be an acoustic, sing-a-long section and a Y2K pop quiz.
“It’s unbelievable that these songs are now considered ‘retro’ because there’s no doubt most of these tunes are now on our Spotify playlists,” Chloe laughs.
Image © Rachel Scholich
With Music Director David Goodwin and choreographer Shenayde Patterson on board, 'So Fresh!' has already raked in six five-star reviews and taken home the prestigious Sarah Rohrsheim Fringe Fellowship Award. Clearly, this is no ordinary Fringe show – it’s a powerhouse production that demands to be experienced live.
So, rally your mates, dust off your low-rise jeans, and prepare for a night of absolute noughties nostalgia. But be quick – there are only two weeks to catch 'So Fresh!' before it vanishes like a Tamagotchi left uncharged.
It’s time to relive the era of MySpace, flip phones, and iconic music. . . And if you weren't sold already, there might even be a live version of Darude's 'Sandstorm'.
'So Fresh! Hits Of The 2000s' plays The May Wirth at Gluttony – Rymill Park (Adelaide Fringe) 25 February-9 March.
