Rodriguez Live at Massey Hall, September 15, 2017


2017.9.15
Rodriguez - Live at Massey Hall Friday September 15, 2017

      Sometimes age is accompanied by enigma, and some performers have managed to carve rewarding late life careers for themselves, sometimes decades after unsuccessfully reaching for stardom. Sometimes, a sympathetic documentary might help their cause, as has been the case with Roky Erikson, the late Sharon Jones, and a host of others, including Rodriguez, who has toured the world for almost two decades after disappearing for about as long.
      The documentary “Searching for Sugarman” didn’t just rescue his waylaid music career, it made Rodriguez a star long after missing out on success the first time around with his two l.p.’s on the small Sussex label, released, ignored, and deleted in the early seventies.
      Rodriguez, full name Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, stops in Toronto regularly when he tours. While his backing band is from L.A. Sixto Rodriguez is still based in Detroit where he was discovered playing coffeehouses in the late sixties. He fills out his set with covers of classic rock songs and movie-musical show tunes, one of which he dedicated to Toronto, but one wonders if it gets dedicated to wherever Rodriguez finds himself playing on a given night.  
      At 75 years old, Rodriguez’ voice is in fine shape and he played a strong set tonight at Massey Hall. His songs still have a deep appeal to his fans years after the hype from the movie died off, suggesting that while Rodriguez’ story aroused initial public interest, it must be his actual songs that people keep seeing him nowadays.
      Rodriguez started the night off slow, but soon intensified with songs like “Only Good for Conversation” and “Crucify Your Mind.” The sadness and sense of resignation that flows through many of Rodriguez’ songs translate well on stage. “I Think of You” and “Street Boy” are still powerful tracks after all these years, along with his relative “hits” like “Sugarman” and “I Wonder.”
      Rodriguez still can’t help but to interact with audience members, but one particularly annoying person who wouldn’t shut up was perhaps humoured for longer than necessary. Still, it was endearing to see Rodriguez unwilling to shut down a stubborn audience, while he engaged her as well as several other crowd comments. He also suggested people stay off drugs after playing “Sugarman.” “Thank You For Your Time” finished the official set, preceding an intriguing set of encores. The first was a version of “Light My Fire” reminiscent of Jose Feliciano’s. A couple of show tunes were mixed in along with a couple of covers including “Somebody to Love”, conveying an undying sixties flower-power sensibility with which Rodriguez still seems to identify.


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