Review: Twenty Sixteen by Amplified House at The Fantail, Adelaide Fringe

‘Electrifying performances, a killer band, and wall-to-wall iconic songs. Twenty Sixteen celebrates the music that never left us.’

Some years refuse to be forgotten, because of the extraordinary music they left behind.

Twenty Sixteen, presented by Amplified House, takes a year synonymous with cultural loss and reframes it as a celebration of legacy, joy, and the artists who continue to shape how we listen, dance, and connect.

This is not a sombre memorial. It’s a high-energy, deeply affectionate tribute to the music that endures. Anchored by the work of Prince, David Bowie and Maurice White, the show pulses with groove, colour and confidence. The inclusion of George Michael, Sharon Jones, Leon Russell and Leonard Cohen broadens the musical scope, creating a night that feels expansive and also reflective.

The cast bring enormous presence and personality to the stage. Dusty Lee Stephensen delivers swagger, grit and effortless cool, shifting seamlessly between styles and brings the house down in the finale. Jaron Jay offers charm and musical intelligence, grounding the show with generosity. Kylie Auldist is a standout; her voice rich, soulful, powerful and joyful, lifting the room every time she steps forward.

Musically, the engine room is exceptional. Jack Strempl, arguably the hardest-working accompanist in Adelaide right now, anchors the show with authority and flair, while Ben Todd keeps everything driving forward as Musical Director on drums. The band is rounded out by Nic Jeffries on saxophone and vocals, Harrison Smith on trumpet and second keys, and the brilliant Flik Freeman on bass, each adding texture, punch and unmistakable joy to the arrangements. Together, they create a sound that’s tight, buoyant and gloriously alive.

What makes Twenty Sixteen work so well is its refusal to imitate. These are not impersonations, but interpretations. Prince, who famously wanted to be different, is honoured through individuality rather than mimicry, a knowing nod to the fact that while he resisted comparison, the rest of the world wanted to be him. Bowie’s theatrical flair is embraced with confidence through a smashing medley, Earth, Wind & Fire’s catalogue radiates irresistible movement, and George Michael’s music lands with renewed admiration, especially when framed by the reminder that he wrote the instantly recognisable Careless Whisper riff at just 17 at the back of a school bus.

Leonard Cohen’s songs arrive as familiar companions; thoughtful, grounded, and quietly profound without slowing the momentum of the night.

The final honour roll, projected on the big screen, is handled with a weighted warmth, a generous in memoriam extending beyond music to film, literature and the wider arts. It lands as a reminder of how much creative brilliance one year held, rather than what it took away.

While there were a few minor sound balance issues early on, these feel like the kind of technical wrinkles that will be quickly ironed out as the season progresses, and they do little to dampen the overall impact.

By the final notes, the overwhelming feeling is celebration. Twenty Sixteen reminds us that great artists never truly leave; they echo, influence and inspire long after the last chord fades.

Thrilling, generous and irresistibly groovy, this is a night that invites audiences to remember not what was lost, but what we were lucky enough to experience.

4 ½ stars

Lia Loves.