Former lead singer of The Rockets, Theo Watt, will be joining the group for their final appearance on 11 March at the Young Gardens Rugby Football Club’s Back to our Roots Music Festival.
The Paarl club is 75 years old and the concert, at the Amphitheatre on Paarl Mountain, is the kick-off to their anniversary celebrations.
It will be the last time The Rockets will be performing under this name that so many different members kept alive for more than five decades. After the recent death of their legendary leader Jerry Watt, the decision was made to disband the group.
So fans of The Rockets will have this one last chance to see the group in action and Theo, who has left the group three years ago to pursue a solo career, is excited to be part of the last hurrah. He relishes the chance to entertain music lovers, particularly those from Paarl, one last time.
“Paarl is actually a second home for The Rockets, because at one stage we performed there every weekend at the Drakenstein Hotel and it was always packed. The shows there were fire!
“The people from Paarl are crazy about The Rockets and there could not have been a better place to close the band than Paarl. The support there has always been amazing.”
He reckons to do a tribute for his legendary uncle would make the occasion even more special. “I don’t think you will ever again get a band leader like Jerry. He gave his all for The Rockets.
I remember how he would drive our kombi to Namibia and back all by himself while the rest of us partied. That shows his dedication to the band.”
Theo is coming a long way as a musician and leads his own group these days. The past weekend he was on fire on the stage at the annual Jazz on the Rocks festival at Tietiesbaai on the West Coast.
He has good memories of the time with The Rockets. “I started singing at the age of seven. When I was in high school, during holidays The Rockets would flew me to Joburg, Sun City and such places to perform with them. I was with the band for 32 years.
“I am sure it is a fairy tale ending that we disband The Rockets in Paarl, which is a second home to us.”
Except for Theo and The Rockets, seasoned performers Alistair Izobell, The Richard Ceasar Band, Loren Erasmus and Don Vino will also perform. RJay & LK, Chelsea Vox and Carl Hendricks will be the local talent taking to the stage.
The Marco Mentoor Band will provide back-up to the vocalists.
A cash bar and food vendors will be available, so no own drinks and picnic baskets will be allowed.
No under 18’s will be allowed either.
Tickets at R170 each is available at www.webtickets.co.za and all branches of Pick n Pay,
as well as from Andy at 0832726914 or Lionel at 0722392181.
The show starts at 15:00 and finishes at 23:45. Gates open at 13:00.
Martin Myers 
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