What: Rodriguez
Where: Royal Theatre
When: Friday and tonight
Tickets: Sold out
Rating: Five stars (out of five)
Rodriguez made his Victoria debut at the Royal Theatre Friday night at the first of two sold-out shows.
The 74-year-old started with his characteristic opener, a cover of Elton John’s Your Song.
He was led onto the stage because glaucoma impairs his vision and his set list prompts could be heard coming from offstage. When he took off his coat, a sleeveless vest revealed arms still strong from years of labour.
The packed concert hall vibrated with anticipation — understandably. The man is a literal legend. Few, if any, rock stars can claim a story so remarkable. The myth of Rodriguez won the 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man an Academy Award and started an international cult following.
As it goes, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez was a struggling singer-songwriter in the late-’60s in Detroit. The sixth (hence, Sixto) son of immigrant Mexican parents, he wrote about the working class and oppression.
He recorded two albums, Cold Fact and Coming from Reality, that were a flop in North America. He likely sold more vinyl at Friday’s show.
Rodriguez enjoyed some minor success in Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s, and even played a few shows there.
But he spent most of his life poor, working hard-labour jobs and living in a $50 house in Detroit.
Little did he know, he had sold more albums in South Africa than Elvis (according to the documentary filmmakers, at least). And he definitely didn’t know many thought he was dead, by suicide, with a gun and on stage, no less.
The truth of his whereabouts was revealed when one of his daughters stumbled upon a website dedicated to finding out what happened to him. The story of his rags-to-riches return to fame is told well in the extraordinary film. Seriously, watch it on Netflix if you haven’t already.
Much of Friday’s audience clearly had, judging from the chatter in the room. The accents in the hoots and Cold Fact singalongs also made it clear a few spirited South Africans and Aussies were in the mix, too.
Rodriguez held the room with one acoustic guitar, shades, leather pants and charm for nearly two hours.
“Rodriguez, we’re glad they found you,” one woman said between songs.
“Likewise,” he said, and took a crowd request for This is Not a Song, it’s an Outburst, or The Establishment Blues.
He played Sugarman next, a little fast and strained. He said after: “It’s a descriptive not a prescriptive song. Stay off drugs.”
A sweet version of Frank Sinatra’s Learnin’ the Blues, followed, then the Doors, Light my Fire and Peggy Lee’s Fever. He later played a haunting take on Sam Cooke’s, Chain Gang for his encore set.
Missing out on years of hard touring served Rodriguez well in the voice department.
His rendition of Crucify Your Mind sounded much like the original recording from 40-plus years ago.
Since the film made him famous worldwide, Rodriguez has been making up for lost time and touring regularly while he still can.
He enjoyed playing covers, but his original songs were more touching, such as the love song Jane S. Piddy, Think of You and Street Boy — another crowd request.
He ended the night with the song Forget It, a fist pump, the parting words “Power to the people” and a bow before being led offstage by his daughter.
For many in the audience, it was a pilgrimage to see, give thanks and be part of one music’s greatest stories.
Opening artist Arum Rae from New York found out she was going on tour a few days before. The singer-songwriter got her first break with a song on the television show Nashville. Her soulful rich voice and electric guitar playing were a complement to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez plays Victoria again tonight and Vancouver on Monday. Both shows are sold out.
