Had the immense pleasure of seeing Rufus Wainwright at Radio City Music Hall on Valentine's Day last week. It was my third time seeing him and I will certainly take every opportunity I can in the future. The first time was in the spring of 2001 in Detroit, a few weeks before Poses came out. The second was in New Orleans a few weeks after Katrina. All three were vastly different shows. The first was with a small band (including his pre-fame sister, Martha). Though Rufus was visibly fucked up for the whole show, that band was spot on, with some of the most pristine harmonies I've ever experienced. The second show was just him and a piano (or a guitar). Want Two had been out for a couple years (and Rufus had been clean) and Release the Stars was a thought on the horizon. I will never forget what the first notes he sang in the first song he played, "The Art Teacher," did--gripping, wrenching. He has the most penetrating voice.
If the first show was an artist at his creative peak (and most self-destructive--makes one wonder how connected the two are), and the second a chance to see his virtuosity as a singer/songwriter, the Radio City show was a full-on demonstration of celebrity. It had all the accoutrement of a big budget stage show--flashy lights, costume changes (!!!), even pyrotechnics (I have to admit that I didn't catch the pyro because I had to go to the bathroom and I took the opportunity to do so during "Slideshow" because that song is dreadful). His between-song-banter seems very self-congratulatory and puffed-up, but in an ironic, self-conscious way (also, he is ridiculously funny). His fame allows him to take more risks, though, as demonstrated in his singing to the auditorium with no microphone on the Irish traditional "Macoushla." The overblown spectacle and kitsch of co-finale "Get Happy" (decked to the nines in miniskirt, high heels and fishnets, and his band as dancers in Nun's habits--delightful) was positively decadent.
While I think his songwriting has seriously suffered in recent years--admittedly, Release The Stars still takes me over, though about half of it is boooor-ring--he is still incomparable. And, as evidenced last week, he is an incredible performer. Although, I maintain that he needs female back-up singers. His band on this last tour was all boys, who were great musicians but sub-par singers. Some of those female parts (most of which are Martha's--see "Poses," see "14th Street") are essential to Rufus' songs. Even at the solo show in NOLA he asked for help with the back-up part on "April Fool's" and, though most of the audience was timid, there was one lone voice from the back of the auditorium that made that song soar. Martha was even there at the NYC show--she and their mother, Kate, joined the band for a few songs, including Across the Universe with Sean Lennon--but just let those incredible harmony parts go unsung, or at best sung unsuccessfully.
Wow. Didn't actually mean to write that much about the show. Really wanted to write about Blackout Sabbath, which he announced at the show. Its a voluntary blackout of Manhattan on the summer solstice--a time to ponder what we can all do for the environment. Its a really lovely thing that, like all things Rufus, has a nice layer of cheeseball to it. Anyway, I'm advocating it. Check it out. He's also playing an unamplified, candlelit concert at the Angel Orensanz Foundation on the Lower East Side. Can't go because of rehearsal but I'm looking forward to the YouTube clips.
One last thing. It's really nice seeing concerts in New York and hearing the artists say, "its nice to be home." This happened the night before at the Yeasayer concert, too. Not sure what it is--warmth, comfort maybe. It reassures me that they mean it, perhaps. It's nice.
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2 comments:
I'm so jealous.
The thing that has finally struck me as to why I can't ultimately like "Release the Stars," even as I do -- if that makes any sense -- is that, unlike his previous work (which I think peaked at Want One), the music and the lyrics do not live up to each other on "Stars."
I find that half the time I like the music but hate the lyrics, and half the time I like the lyrics but hate the music. "Slideshow" -- right, the lyrics are inane, but the music is good(ish). The only song where everything comes together for me is "Not Ready to Love."
Here's the problem -- whereas earlier in my opinion he seemed to let the lyrics come from the music, let the music come first, whatever -- on "Stars" it seems like the lyrics came first. There's something more intellectual and less gutsy about the music, and I think that's because it started in a lyric-based and too-clever place.
I am excited to see his opera, where one MUST focus first on the music. I really wish he would devote a year or two to instrumental compositions, a la Jonny Greenwood (stupid, stupid Oscars!)
PS per Jonny Greenwood, you can get that Iannis Xenakis off my Ipod whenever. Google "Senuti" for the program.
Haven't seen him yet. I intended to, the last time he was in Ann Arbor, but Connecticut got in the way-- or, more accurately, all that Canada between Connecticut and Ann Arbor got in the way.
Happy Leap Year to all you boys in Brooklyn.
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