The brightest stars burn quickest they say, and rock & roll has seen its share of supernovas.
The most well-known examples are the members of the 27 Club, lighting up stages and skies before disappearing as quick as they came.
Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix hold membership to rock's darkest club, leaving behind legacies and begging the question, what feats of future artistry did the world lose alongside the artists?
Ensuring the energy, essence and the music of these icons continues today is the 27 Club concert, powered by some of Australia's biggest names.
Initiated by Zac Tyler, the show pulls into orbit Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah, Bob Evans), Carla Lippis (Mondo Psycho), and Dusty Lee Stephensen (Wanderers), doing the songs credit with a cosmic blend all their own.
"It's a full on rock & roll gig, with a few stories woven in between," frontwoman Carla Lippis explains.
"It's really all about the music. The magic happens up there together, 'cause we all offer something a bit different. When those things combine, we're a little rock & roll Transformer."
The show that won Best Music Award at Adelaide Fringe 2021 offers a mind-bending experience of powerhouse vocals, explosive solos and a mass of energy and sound.
Lippis shares her favourite part of the show. "I love watching Kev's Nirvana moments, he goes off. There's a moment where he really goes for it.
"I'm sitting there watching him, me and Sarah have huge smiles on our faces and we're cheering him on. It's really fun. You can feel how much we enjoy working together, which has given the show so much longevity."
Lippis encountered her first member of the 27 Club at a pivotal moment, a discovery that shaped her artistry forever. "I was obsessed with Jimi Hendrix.
"I was really into rock & roll when I was 15, obsessed with songs like 'Purple Haze' and 'Foxy Lady'. I love to go for male songs, they're more meaty for my vocal range. They suit it well."
Lippis was recruited for the show at a fortuitous moment, and has found a musical bond that remains as strong as ever. "I'd been living overseas when COVID struck and it was really intense.
"I made a snap decision to move back, and I'm glad I did. Zac came to me with the show, and I already knew Dusty. I grew up listening to Sarah and Kev's music, and now we're all in this show together and we're all buddies. It's nice. We all enjoy ourselves doing the show."
After 5 explosive years performing to more than 60,000 fans across Australia and the world, the show is set to bring classics such as 'Piece Of My Heart', 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Rehab' to Perth's Fringe World.
Carla is excited to return to a place full of fond memories, and to create more. "I've done a season in Perth before, when I was in a massive circus. It was awesome, I had the best buddy. We did 56 shows back-to-back, it was incredible. So I know the lay of the land.
"I love the vibe and going out after the show, going to other artists' shows. You've got the beach and great food. I'm excited to get back there and rediscover the city, meet new people and play to a whole new crowd."
The cruelty of having these artists taken so soon is embittered by the masses of art lost from these prolific geniuses.
Lippis muses on which artist she would be most curious to see another album from. "What that question means to me is, who was on the weirdest trajectory? Who would have gone left field? Would Amy Winehouse throw her style away and make a jazz record next?
"What was the next logical progression after grunge in Kurt's mind? The members of the club are all really creative and really thought about what they were doing.
"I reckon Kurt would have thrown grunge in the bin and made a weird electronic record which, 25 years later, we would have praised him for. Having the punk ethos, you can't rinse out the same stuff all the time. That's not what punk is."
27 Club plays as part of 2026 Fringe World at The Rechabite (Perth) 21 January to 15 February (except Mondays).
