By Dave Miller

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The mere fact that Sixto Rodriguez was playing at the Arie Crown Theater, or anywhere for that matter, made the concert a triumph even before he took the stage.

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Undoubtedly, a vast majority of concertgoers who filled most of the 4,267-seat venue had never heard of Rodriguez until the award-winning documentary about him called Searching for Sugar Man appeared last year and went on to win an Academy Award. If you haven't seen the movie and don't know his story, do yourself a favor and don't read this review until you watch it. It's hard to believe Rodriguez remained in obscurity for so long, especially into the digital age where even talentless nobodies become famous. After releasing two poor-selling albums (Cold Fact in 1970 and Coming From Reality in 1971) with lyrics as unique as those of Bob Dylan and nervously playing a Los Angeles showcase with his back turned to an audience of music industry people, his career didn't go anywhere beyond a blip of success in Australia at the end of the 1970s. While living in anonymity and working as a construction and demolition man in Detroit, his music managed to find its way to South Africa where, unbeknownst to him, he became bigger than Elvis and the Beatles. For years it was rumored that Rodriguez was dead -- until some fans eventually tracked him down. He wound up playing sold-out arenas in South Africa and the ensuing documentary led to a revival or, really, an introduction of his music to America.

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Rodriguez's story is so fantastical that it can seem more fictional than real even after seeing Searching for Sugar Man. That's why it was magical to see the folk singer simply walk out on the stage Friday night in Chicago. He received a hero's welcome as he gingerly made his way to center stage with the aid of two women. Time has taken its toll on Rodriguez, who nevertheless proudly and repeatedly told the audience he's "a solid 70." Glaucoma makes it hard for him to see. Shades covered his eyes and a wide-brimmed hat obscured part of his face, which only added to his mysticism.

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Backed by a pickup band of three musicians, Rodriguez opened with "Climb Up on My Music." The invitation was accepted by the audience, which you could feel pulling for him through the concert. The performance started slowly in large part because the overzealous band, particularly the guitarist, overwhelmed Rodriguez and his vocals. That was a crime against an artist whose lyrics are the star. Thankfully, the band settled down and the focus sharpened on Rodriguez, who broke the ice with the worshipful crowd with corny jokes before the gentle soul's wit and modesty made a connection. "I just want everyone to know, I want to be treated as an ordinary legend," cracked the singer-songwriter, who has continued to live in the same humble house for more than 40 years and is giving most of his newly-made money to family and friends. He doesn't own a car or computer.

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Not only didn't Rodriguez attend the Oscars, he didn't even watch them. He was asleep when his movie won. The soundtrack consists of the best songs from his two released albums and a couple from a third one that never happened, and he played most of those including "I Wonder," "This is Not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues," "Sugar Man," "Can't Get Away" and "Street Boy." "This is how I sound at 70," he said in the early going, as if apologizing for his sometimes-fragile voice. Later he quipped, "I'm not getting old, I'm getting dead." His songs and the spirit behind them were very much alive, though.

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The guitarist huddled delicately with Rodriguez after each song before the band tackled the next one. Sometimes Rodriguez launched into a song by himself to the surprise of the band. The most dramatic example came on, of all things, a Little Richard cover of "Lucille." Rodriguez appeared to take delight in surprising everyone with the curveball choice to cover the piano-driven original with just his acoustic guitar and strong strumming. Rodriguez referenced Chicago with a cover of Lou Rawls' "Dead End Street." More than anything, his covers, taken together, revealed him to be from another time or, perhaps more accurately, timeless: Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things," Billie Holiday's "Love Me Or Leave Me," Don Gibson's "Sea of Heartbreak" and The Flamingos' "I Only Have Eyes for You."

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"It has been an honor, a pleasure and a privilege," Rodriguez said at the end of the main set. The audience could have said the same thing. He returned to play one encore, a cover of Frank Sinatra's "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die." After getting a late start, his songs are going to live longer than that.

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Hippy-dippy opener Jenny O. and her band played an engaging set that distinguished itself as it progressed. She exuded a late-1960s-into-'70s vibe while her nifty, high-sounding guitar-playing complimented her high voice.

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