Singer songwriter Rodriguez will be back in Australia in 2019 almost 40 years after his very first time in the country.
When Rodriguez first toured Australia he was nervous on stage. He had never performed a major show but because of a cult following created by radio 2Double J in Sydney, he had become a popular name.
The first tour was difficult for the shy performer who rarely eyeballed his audience. “Oh yes and I remember every moment,” Rodriguez tells Noise11.com. “I was new to that stuff. We did Tanelorn, They had a lot of underground stuff. It was a very good time”.
That was the tour were he first met and became close friends with Midnight Oil. In recent years, The Break, featuring former members of Midnight Oil, were his Australian backing band. “I went back five times. Festivals are the way to go. That first tour got me started,” he said. Music is global. That’s the nice thing about touring. Australia has been good to me and I look forward to coming back there.
The music of Rodriguez talks about culture and the environment. “Music is language. I am interested in poetry and content and issues,” he said.
Since those early days his cult status and evolved to legendary status despite only ever releasing two albums ‘Cold Fact’ in 1970 and ‘Coming From Reality’ in 1971. However Rodriguez has confirmed to Noise11.com that he does have new songs. “I have material. My albums were in the last century. I am in the new century and I consider myself contemporary,” he said. “I have written music that has lasted 50 years so I have to play that. For me its audience generated. I consider myself a musician, not an entertainer. I don’t care how I look. I care how it sounds”.
As for when we will hear the new music, he does not know.
Rodriguez Australian and New Zealand tour 2019
Saturday 2 February, Villa Maria Winery | Auckland, NZ
Tuesday 5 February, ICC Sydney Theatre | Sydney, NSW
Saturday 9 February *, Sirromet Wines | Mt Cotton, QLD | a day on the green
Tuesday 12 February, Royal Theatre | Canberra, ACT
Friday 15 February, Margaret Court Arena | Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 16 February *, Rochford Wines | Yarra Valley, VIC | a day on the green
Tuesday 19 February, Entertainment Centre | Darwin, NT
Saturday 23 February *, Peter Lehmann Wines | Barossa Valley, SA | a day on the green
Tuesday 26 February, Derwent Entertainment Centre | Hobart, TAS
Friday 1 March, Kings Park and Botanical Garden | Perth, WA
• Not Frontier Touring shows – visit adayonthegreen.com.au for more information on these outdoor shows:
• Australia Special Guests; Sarah Blasko (Exc Darwin) & Caiti Baker (Darwin Only)
• A Day On The Green Special Guests: Xavier Rudd, Busby Marou, Pierce Brothers, Alice Skye
• New Zealand Special Guests; Dave Dobbyn, The Topp Twins & The Eastern.
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