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Rodriguez Killed the Sugarman
By Louw Mulder
Scintillating Rodriguez live at the Ticket-Pro Dome during his first South African show
For a person not very familiar with the music of 73 year old Sixto Rodriguez, I was quite pleased to enjoy a well-entertaining experience at the first Live Show of this Rock and Blues artist, at the Ticket-Pro Dome.
The Dome was at full capacity and the show was exactly what you’d come to expect from Big Concerts over the years. I was amazed by the loud welcoming this Singer-Songwriter from Detroit, Michigan received, when the lights of the packed venue went out.
Backed by only a lead guitar, bass guitar and a set of drums, Rodrigues took the stage with his acoustic guitar, and with each song, more and more of the tunes became familiar. With a little disbelieve in myself, I was surprised by how well-known Rodriguez’s music is to his South African Audience.
His repertoire had songs like Crucify your mind, I’ll Slip Away, I Think of You and Only a Good Conversation.
The Crowd was enchanted by another Big Concerts experience
The crowd-favourites was without a doubt laudable, when the guitar intro started. He also sang the title track of his first album released in 1970, Cold Fact, and a huge hit for Rodrigues from the same album, I wonder.
Young and old… Ok, young and also very old concert-goers were on their feet, as the sounds of probably his signature song, Sugerman, started to fill the dome. Movie lovers will associate this song with the 2012 Movie, Searching for Sugerman, which in itself won the Oscar for the Best Documentary Feature in 2013. Fans of South African Music will also remember this song, as covered in 1997 by Just Jinger, when the SA Rock industry took to full flight. The list of international acclaims inspired by Rodrigues, is endless.
Rodriguez, in his search for Sugarman
To add to the variation of his show, Rodrigues surprised the audience with his very own cover versions of Elvis Presley’s Blue Suede Shoes, as well as a very emotional version of Elton John’s Your Song. A true crowd-pleaser was when he thanked the audience in Afrikaans, saying “Baie Dankie”.
The highlight for me personally, and probably the defining moment in creating respect for Rodrigues, was when he had to stop in the middle of a song, because of his guitar being out of tune. “I have to tune my guitar, because I want to give you a great song”.
This was truly an spectacular evening, and I am glad to have experienced Rodriguez, while I still could…
Tour Dates:
Johannesburg: 29th January 2016 at the Ticketpro Dome
Durban: 31st January 2016 at the ICC Durban Arena
Port Elizabeth: 3rd February 2016 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Outer Fields
Cape Town: 5th and 6th February 2016 at the Grand Arena, GrandWest
Presented by Jacaranda FM, Algoa FM, Bok Radio and Kyknet. Another Big Concerts Experience.
