By now everyone in South Africa will know that Sixto Rodriguez passed away on the 8th of August 2023. During the 70's and 80's ....... then well on into the 90's ..........Rodriguez was a Bob Dylan type icon to a great many South Africans while being entirely ignored by his own people in the United States and most of Europe. There were a few in Australia and New Zealand who took a bit of notice of his music - but nothing like the hordes who followed him in SA where he was a megastar. In 2012 the movie "Searching for Sugarman" was released to huge acclaim after two South African's tracked him down in Detroit (where he was working as a bricklayer), to discover what had become of him and brought him out to South Africa in 1998 where he played six sold out concerts.
In July of this year Selena Grant booked Joe Van Der Linden to do his new show "Rodriguez & Me" on the 11th August at the Little Theatre on the Green in Bathurst, EC. Sadly Rodriguez passed away on the 8th, and the show virtually doubled as a memorial for the artist, and was fully booked - playing to two more virtually full houses on the 9th.
Joe was accompanied by local resident Stephen Forder on percussion, and together they put on a spectacular show that had the audience in the tiny venue on their feet at numerous times during the show.
We hope that for the sake of the rest of the Rodriguez fans out there more venues around the country will book this show ............ it is not to be missed. Joe can be contacted directly on 082 939 8510, or by email at vanderlindenjoe@yahoo.com.
To book the venue at the Little Theatre on the Green in Bathurst for shows of all kinds please contact Selena Grant directly on 072 215 2727 ............. you won't be sorry.
