The movie Searching for Sugar Man is making a clean sweep during awards’ season this year in the Best Documentary category. The film details the efforts of two Cape Town fans, Stephen “Sugar’ Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom, to find out if the rumoured death of American musician Rodriguez was true, and, if not, to discover what had become of him. The Swedish/British documentary was directed by Marlik Bendjelloul.
To the delight of his fans, Rodriguez is very much alive and at the age of 70, has played to full houses since his Big Concerts tour started on 9 February 2013 in South Africa. On Saturday 16 February Rodriguez played at The Big Top Arena at Carnival City in Johannesburg, which was filled to capacity. During the show, shouts of “I love you, Rodriguez!’ would sound out regularly and in turn Rodriguez responded with “I know it’s the drinks, but I love you right back!’ The legendary musician did not disappoint as he covered all the songs that made him famous and beloved in South Africa – much to everyone’s joy, who gave him several standing ovations. At the end of the show, Rodriguez thanked the Johannesburg crowd and said “Jozi, it has been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege’.
Rodriguez performs in Cape Town at Grand West on 20 and 21 February before returning to the US.
Searching for Sugar Man is the favourite in the Best Document category at the 2013 Academy Awards taking place on 24 February 2013.
