Despite a slow start, sound problems and some inclement weather, legendary Sugar Man singer Sixto Diaz Rodriguez played to a largely receptive crowd at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday night.
A sold-out crowd turned out for the concert despite the threat of rain, which came down midway through the open-air show for 20 minutes.
The star has a very humble stage presence and is not very loud so the fact that the sound was also soft was a travesty.
For those close to the front of the stage the sound was fine, but with almost 10000 people in attendance, the further back you sat the worse the sound was.
During this set he played covers like I Only Have Eyes For You by the Flamingos, What A Difference A Day Makes by Dinah Washington and Somebody To Love by Jefferson Airplane.
Between most songs he mostly did not speak but when he did he enjoyed good interaction with the crowd, replying to someone who shouted “I love you” at one stage with: “It might be the beer but I love you too.”
A cheer also went up when he switched hats with the fan saying, “You’re an easy audience if you are cheering for my hats.”
Once his acoustic set ended, a band joined him on stage and the sound improved. It was still not as loud as it should have been for that big an area, but was a welcome improvement.
After singing a few songs, Rodriguez then said, “Port Elizabeth you are looking great. It’s an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
He then went into a number of his more well-known songs including Crucify Your Mind, This is not a song, it’s an outburst, which some of the crowd sang along to and I Wonder which received the biggest cheer of the night up till then.
Between his own music he played covers and after singing Chain Gang by Sam Cooke he then went into Sugar Man, which was, as expected, the most well received song of the night as the crowd got fully into the spirit.
Following the song a number of people in the older crowd left, with one man overheard saying, “it isn’t going to get better than that”, as he left with his friend.
Rodriguez then played a few more songs, with well-received songs Like Janis and Forget It ending his set.
Calls for an encore, however, brought him back to the stage and he played his own Street Boy and ended with I’m Gonna Live ‘Til I Die by Frank Sinatra.
It was an enjoyable concert in the end, with Rodriguez warming up and getting better as it went.
However, he may be more suited to a more intimate venue.
“I am a big Rodriguez fan and really enjoyed the show,” Carrick Hay said.
“The sound at the front was fine, especially the base, which was pumping.”
Chris Bekker did not really know Rodriguez at all but had a good time at the show. “I really enjoyed it,” he said.
“Before I came to watch I only knew Sugar Man. I was very impressed.”
With Roxette now next up for Port Elizabeth tonight, the city is getting ready for another top performance.
Parking is available around the stadium, with a nearby school also making their grounds available.
Getting into the stadium is straightforward and the wait is not too long. The Prince Alfred Road entrance is best as it is closest to the stage.
Camp chairs were allowed into the stadium as there is no seating.
But you cannot not put them near the front of the stage as this is for standing only.
If you weren’t able to catch Rodriguez live or are interested in learning more about him anyway, Stephen Segerman and Craig Strydom, who went in search of Rodriguez after many in this country thought he had died, and made the documentary Searching for Sugar Man, have recently released a book – Sugar Man: The Life, Death and Resurrection of Sixto Rodriguez.
On his live performances they write, “We have both seen Rodriguez perform live on numerous occasions.
“It is the small, intimate performances that we remember most. We have not yet seen his show on the latest tour.”
Sugar Man serves up sweet stuff
A sold-out crowd turned out for the concert despite the threat of rain, which came down midway through the open-air show for 20 minutes.
The star has a very humble stage presence and is not very loud so the fact that the sound was also soft was a travesty.
For those close to the front of the stage the sound was fine, but with almost 10000 people in attendance, the further back you sat the worse the sound was.
During this set he played covers like I Only Have Eyes For You by the Flamingos, What A Difference A Day Makes by Dinah Washington and Somebody To Love by Jefferson Airplane.
Between most songs he mostly did not speak but when he did he enjoyed good interaction with the crowd, replying to someone who shouted “I love you” at one stage with: “It might be the beer but I love you too.”
A cheer also went up when he switched hats with the fan saying, “You’re an easy audience if you are cheering for my hats.”
Once his acoustic set ended, a band joined him on stage and the sound improved. It was still not as loud as it should have been for that big an area, but was a welcome improvement.
After singing a few songs, Rodriguez then said, “Port Elizabeth you are looking great. It’s an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
He then went into a number of his more well-known songs including Crucify Your Mind, This is not a song, it’s an outburst, which some of the crowd sang along to and I Wonder which received the biggest cheer of the night up till then.
Between his own music he played covers and after singing Chain Gang by Sam Cooke he then went into Sugar Man, which was, as expected, the most well received song of the night as the crowd got fully into the spirit.
Following the song a number of people in the older crowd left, with one man overheard saying, “it isn’t going to get better than that”, as he left with his friend.
Rodriguez then played a few more songs, with well-received songs Like Janis and Forget It ending his set.
Calls for an encore, however, brought him back to the stage and he played his own Street Boy and ended with I’m Gonna Live ‘Til I Die by Frank Sinatra.
It was an enjoyable concert in the end, with Rodriguez warming up and getting better as it went.
However, he may be more suited to a more intimate venue.
“I am a big Rodriguez fan and really enjoyed the show,” Carrick Hay said.
“The sound at the front was fine, especially the base, which was pumping.”
Chris Bekker did not really know Rodriguez at all but had a good time at the show. “I really enjoyed it,” he said.
“Before I came to watch I only knew Sugar Man. I was very impressed.”
With Roxette now next up for Port Elizabeth tonight, the city is getting ready for another top performance.
Parking is available around the stadium, with a nearby school also making their grounds available.
Getting into the stadium is straightforward and the wait is not too long. The Prince Alfred Road entrance is best as it is closest to the stage.
Camp chairs were allowed into the stadium as there is no seating.
But you cannot not put them near the front of the stage as this is for standing only.
If you weren’t able to catch Rodriguez live or are interested in learning more about him anyway, Stephen Segerman and Craig Strydom, who went in search of Rodriguez after many in this country thought he had died, and made the documentary Searching for Sugar Man, have recently released a book – Sugar Man: The Life, Death and Resurrection of Sixto Rodriguez.
On his live performances they write, “We have both seen Rodriguez perform live on numerous occasions.
“It is the small, intimate performances that we remember most. We have not yet seen his show on the latest tour.”
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