“South African audiences are great. I have been here 37 years back and it is wonderful to be back,” says Roussos. “I must say the two shows at Carnival City were great. I have a lovely South African band on stage with me and with the support of the lovely audiences I performed so well.”
The kaftans are now gone ... yet feeling more at home in well-tailored suits punctuated with lightly coloured neckerchiefs, his silver hair tied in a ponytail, the beard somewhat ragged, eyebrows prominent, he is still unmistakably Demis Roussos. The voice is familiar, throaty and somewhat croaky. “My voice has matured somewhat”, he says. “I don’t sing at the pitch I used to sing, but nobody does.” He takes care of his voice with lots of sleep and “trying not to talk too much”.
Frans Swart, CEO of Lefra Productions, is the producer of the Demis Roussos World Tour to South Africa. “I am really excited about the overwhelming reaction we have received on the Demis Roussos tour here in South Africa. Carnival City was sold out to capacity and there was not one single ticket left. If we had two extra shows in Johannesburg, we could have easily sell[sic] that out as well. He is such a good performer and such a professional artist. We hope that the shows in Bloemfontein and Paarl will also be sold out”
Demis Roussous will be performing at the Sand du Plessis Theatre on Wednesday, 12 December and at the Liqui-Fruit Amphitheatre in Paarl on Saturday, 15 December. Bookings can be done at Computicket 0861 915 8000 or
www.computicket.com.
For the Sand du Plessis Theatre Show in Bloemfontein, please book on (051) 447-7772. Groups of more than 10 at discounted prices – call Lefra Productions on (011) 815 3000. For more information, visit
www.demis.co.za or email
[email protected].