Monday, 02 July 2007
The Gay Messiah. One thing you can't accuse Rufus Wainwright of lacking is style. From the moment he strides on stage in an outlandish suit made of a rainbow patchwork, to the finale of Rufus in high heels, full drag and lipstick miming to Judy Garlands "Get Happy", if nothing else, tonight is a lesson in how to be stylish. I haven't even mentioned the lederhosen, or the bathrobe.
A wet seaside Wednesday doesn't bode well for Rufus Waiwright - and yet, in these unsupposing climes, he excels and shines. The classical ballroom holds a mere 1,400 people, the setting is made of ornate stylings from a bygone age, and past the curtains you can see the sun setting into the tranquil sea. And Rufus is probably the worst kept secret of modern music : his latest album "Release The Stars" (played in full tonight) is probably his masterwork, and, despite scant radio attention and a lack of 'hits', he seems to keep a seaside town rapt for over two and a half hours.
Keeping with the tradition of old-school performances, the show features a classically styled intermission, two hour long sets, and a half hour encore. And yet, this time goes by in a flash. Not once does the set falter, lag, or drag in the slightest. Sometimes at concerts my mind wanders : Rufus manages to have us in the palm of his hand enthralled.
Maybe it’s the lederhosen, and the broches, the flamboyance. Maybe it’s the combination of a immense seven piece band (with full horn section), maybe it’s the primal colours of his Kids TV suit, maybe it’s the simple majesty of his music. The new album holds the audience compelled by the heady mix of vast textures, wonderful lyrics, and a dense musical palette of what appears to be a full orchestra. And make no mistake, it is unapologetically camp : a mixture of straight faced sincerity and artistry, and, at the same time, overblown musical performance theatre. At one point, Rufus implores the audience to silence, and serenades all of us with a traditional Irish folk song ("Macushla") : the trick is, the entire performance is done so with the microphones switched off, and his unaccompanied, naked voice travels easily and clearly to the back of the hall.
He then abandons "Not Ready To Love" as he has forgotten the words. Given that he was just faux-insulting the coolest woman in music - Kim Deal - as an aside he cheekily labels her a "Telepathic Witch". And yet we still love him for it. (In fact, the between song banter is better than many comedians and betrays the wit and charm that is maintained throughout the songs).
Aside from the fact that the set seems to concentrate only on material from "Want" and "Release The Stars", there's nothing to fault. The main set closes with the perfect "14th Street" that allows the individual band members to demonstrate their skills, before the grand finale.
And grand it is. Rufus reappears in a bathrobe, serenades us with a couple of plaintive piano laments, before donning full drag for a Judy Garland number (with fully choreographed dancing) of "Get Happy", and a triumphantly unabashed "Gay Messiah" : It was a triumph for flamboyant artistry and the world is a richer place for having Rufus Wainwright in it.
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