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7th March 1998
Bellville Velodrome
Cape Town

Reviews by Brian Currin, Sugar and Ian Landsberg.

Photo by Brian Currin

The Set List

1. I Wonder
2. Only Good For Conversation
3. Can't Get Away
4. Crucify Your Mind
5. Jane S. Piddy
6. To Whom It May Concern
7. Like Janis
8. Inner City Blues
9. Street Boy
10. A Most Disgusting Song
11. I'll Slip Away
12. Halfway Up The Stairs
13. I Think Of You
14. Rich Folks Hoax
15. Climb Up On My Music
    
    Encores:
    
16. Sugar Man
17. Establishment Blues
18. Forget It

Scan of the sound engineer's setlist, dated and autographed by the Man, himself!

From Sweet Songs To Street Songs
a review by Brian Currin

From the simplistic, yet instantly recognisable bass guitar intro of I Wonder, to the last fading echoes of Thanks For Your Time, this was a show that enthralled everyone from the die-hard old fans with their balding heads and beer paunches to the new virgin devotees.

From sweet songs to street songs,
from bitter to beautiful,
from minor keys to metal mayhem,
from tear-jerker to tear-it-up,
from disgusting songs to rock anthems...this was truly a magic show of vast proportions.

Rodriguez has not released new material in over 25 years, he has no chart-topping singles, yet he opens to a standing ovation - and everybody sings along to all the songs.

Colin Taylor from KFM radio opened the show by shouting with great enthusiasm:
"Cape Town, put your hands together and welcome a true legend on stage - Rodriguez!"

Reuben Samuels started a slow drum beat and when Graeme Currie introduced that classic bass line (de-de de-de de-dum) the crowd went wild in instant recognition and when The Man slipped quietly onto the stage, the Velodrome stood up in adoration for this long-lost legend. I Wonder was wonderful and after the song, Rodriguez just stood and stared at the audience in awe.

Only Good For Conversation was done hard and heavy with great guitar from Willem Möller.
"..you're so proper and so cute" sang Rodriguez with a smile in his voice.

Can't Get Away was superb and when he started to sing the second verse again by mistake, the band supported him and the audience forgave him.

All the favourites followed with the arrangements staying very close to the originals and the crowd hanging on every word. Tonia Selley from The Pressure Cookies and Big Sky provided superb backing vocals throughout.

A highlight was the solo rendition of "A Most Digusting Song" sung with great humour. "There's someone here who's almost a virgin I'm told" was met with much laughter.
And when he sang "...your government will provide the shrugs" a responsive chord was hit, even though this song was written in 1970!

Rodriguez does'nt say much, he lets his music and words speak to us, but he did give us one message:

"I want to wish you the best of luck
in everything you do,
you're gonna do it,
you're gonna solve it,
you're gonna heal 'em,
you're gonna do it"

- perceptive and profound words from this poet and prophet.

And then into an absolutely incredible blues-rock version of Climb Up On My Music. Willem Möller burnt up his fretboard with a classic rock guitar solo and Russel Taylor played a jazzy-blues keyboard solo which left us breathless.

Rodriguez slipped away as the band ended the song, but soon returned to perform a 3-song encore starting with Sugar Man, then Establishment Blues and ending with the perfect show-closer Forget It with those poignant words "Thanks for your time".

"Thank you, Cape Town" sang Rodriguez.

No, thank YOU, Rodriguez - the mystery and myth may be gone, but the music and memories will live forever and the magic of that night will stay with us always.