Rodriguez Announces Australian Tour

THE Rodriguez is coming back to Australia. Touring nationally this October and November, the 72-year-old enigmatic legend was last here in 1981 playing with Midnight Oil, after touring in the late '70s to small success. Now he's riding a wave of newfound support back to our biggest venues, thanks in part to two South African fans.

Most people had no idea who Sixto Rodriguez was until the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man dropped in 2012, prompting longtime fans to shake a fist and spin a bitter "I told you so." A self-taught guitarist, Rodriguez played around the traps in Detroit during the '60s but saw no real success in the States with his two albums Cold Fact (1969) and Coming from Reality (1971). Different story in South Africa, where he was pretty much bigger than Elvis — inspiring South African anti-Apartheid activists and musicians alike (unbeknownst to Rodriguez himself).

One of music's most mysterious heroes, Rodriguez was even thought to have died until two Cape Town fans in the late 1990s, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom went to find out if the rumours were true (cue Oscar-winning doco). The man also has a cheeky bachelor's degree in philosophy from Wayne State University, he ran for political office and he's had to work construction jobs to support his family. Undeniable and relatively unknown legend.

Rodriguez will play Brisbane Convention Centre, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne's Palais Theatre, Adelaide's AEC Theatre and Perth's Kings Park and Botanic Garden.

Tickets on sale on Thursday August 28 at 12pm local time. Members of the Niche mailing list and ticket agent mailing lists can purchase pre-sale tickets on Tuesday 26 August at 12pm until Wednesday 27 August at 5pm. For further details or to sign up to the mailing list please visitwww.nicheproductions.com.au.

Rodriguez Australian Tour Dates:

Sunday October 19 — Convention Centre, Brisbane. Tickets via Ticketek or 132 849.

Tuesday October 21 and Thursday October 23 — Sydney Opera House. Tickets via Opera House Box Office or 02 9270 7111.

Saturday October 25 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne. Tickets via Ticketmaster or 136 100.

Wednesday October 29 — AEC Theatre, Adelaide. Tickets via Ticketek or 132 849.

Friday November 7 — Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth. Tickets via Ticketmaster or 136 100.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qyE9vFGKogs