Well...finally a thread I can contribute to! I was there too! And ... I had been to 8 of the "Poses 2002" tour sbows that just ended in May. He is a force of nature, that Rufus is. During the tour ... his band included both Teddy Thompson *and* Martha Wainwright, and they alternated doing the opening acts for the tour. Both are amazing in their own rights, both have 2 fantastic indie CD's out (Martha's both, and Teddy's 2nd, available only at the shows..). At the show in LA in March, at the Wilshire-Ebell, both Loudon and Kate, Rufus' parents, showed up for encores and along with Martha did a "you-could-hear-a-pin-drop' version of "What'll I Do". Kate flew in for a few of the tour shows and accompanied Rufus on piano for several songs, including "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", by Harold Arlen. Amazing. Martha and Rufus concluded the Florida shows with Josephine Baker's "Nuits de Miami". Astounding. And, I might add, totally lost on the South Beachers, even in the Art Deco District.
I have been graced to be backstage and in other intimate off-stage settings with these folks and they are awesome, beautiful, funny and delightful personally. The Santa Barbara concert was a true rarity. Rufus performed only a few songs recorded on his 2 CD's, doing mostly other unreleased material. Opening with the all-Latin "Agnus Dei", and closing with Harold Arlen's "I Wonder What Became of Me", which he is being filmed tomorrow/Tuesday in LA. It's part of a film,directed by Larry Weinstein, who made the acclaimed "September Songs" in '96, of all Kurt Weil songs by contemporary artists. He's now making a similarly styled film of Arlen's music, Rufus completed shooting "Paper Moon" last Thursday, and the other new one being shot tomorrow. His song "Little Sister" is, of course, about Martha. "11/11" is his song about 9/11, and written at Sean Lennon's home (he loves to drop names like that.... and well, they are friends. Sean and Rufus and Bijou Phillips were all at Yoko's in NYC on 9/11 and she just took them all upstate immediately. Rufus says it was a very intense and insane time.) The song that threw the subscription Santa Barbaran audience members, who walked out after it, is called "Gay Messiah", as yet unreleased, with very provocative and irreverent lyrics, hilarious to some, apparently offensive to others. The Neil Young song he and Chris did during Chris's set (they'd performed it together once before at the Neil Young Tribute) was "Harvest". Beautiful. And the song they did together during Rufus's set is one he wrote for the film "Moulin Rouge" and it only appears for about 8 bars at the beginning of the 'flashback scene' when Ewen is sitting at the typewriter... "Complainte de la Butte", their two voices harmonizing this song in both English and French was surely one of, if not *the* highlight of the evening. He also performed one that was cut from "Moulin Rouge" altogether, "Leaving for Paris", introducing it with some harsh words about Nicole Kidman. He can be very nasty, as well as charming. He throws about his gayness like a stage prop, was dressed "appropriately Santa Barbaran" in jeans, denim jacket, and sandals. (very fun watching his feet while he plays guitar), and sometimes says things he "shouldn't be telling us". His album "Poses" won the 2001 GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Award for Best Music Album, last Saturday night in San Francisco, he was a delight to hang out with at that stellar party. He was up here, in the SF/Bay Area most of the week, and received a special commendation from the SF Board of Supervisors last Monday (for what? ... putting out that cigarette butt on the rug onstage at The Fillmore?? !...). Yes, he smokes. Incessantly. And drinks red wine. A lot. Sound familiar? Well...it's only fitting that he was picked up this Spring and is now artistically managed by the same Artist Management company, Feldman Associates, as that other great great Canadian singer/songwriter, Joni Mitchell. His artist/manager is a delightful young woman, having one fun time, I envy her. There was a small reception afterwards behind the theater and Chris and Rufus came out and schmoozed with the crowd for a long long time. They were both delightful, and Rufus especially generous and lovely that evening. I'm so glad to hear that (and would have *loved* to say 'hi' to you Kate and Kakki, had I only known...) again, seeing and hearing Rufus live is an other-worldly experience, and has to be done, way more than merely hearing his recorded music, to appreciate his unique and immense gifts. Richard in San Francisco n.p. - "Poses" ------------- > > >Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2002 17:01:53 -0700 >From: "Kate Bennett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: rufus & chris in concert (njc) > >rufus wainwright & chris stills came to town friday night as part of >our wonderful singer/songwriter series called sings like hell... > >chris opened & had his band with him...excellent, i'd only seen him >a few times solo which he can do very well, but i loved him with his >band...he is looking & sounding soooo much like his dad it is quite >startling but still he is his own artist in his own right...he has >some great guitar chops but there are few who can are of steven's >caliber... > >i'd never heard rufus before (live or recorded)...he came out during >chris's set & they duoed a neil young song that they said they'd >just played for neil & were really nervous about (chris played >guitar, rufus held up the lyrics on a sheet of paper that they >shared looking at as they traded verses)...the song was, i want to >say the promise of a man? is that the title?...i'm hearing it my >head but not sure of the actual title...anyway, i got goosebumps >when rufus sang...he has an incredible voice!!! wow! > >so does chris, so they made an incredible duo (chris also came out >during rufus's set & sang a song with him too...one in >french...chris's mom is french) rufus mentioned that he first met >chris in la at largo & chris was wearing a ruffled shirt & rufus >said he thought, now there's my man! > >then rufus played, mostly on piano & some guitar...he is quite a >character & adorable!...i'm not familar with his songs but he said >many of them were new (from a new release?)...i really enjoyed him, >i truthfully, i think the audience was divided...some absolutely >loved him & others left before his set was over, this has happened >before (especially when it gets late on a friday night)...i could >not understand everything he was saying which was frustrating >because when i could, he was endearing & funny...he does talk fast, >making comments almost to himself which is appealing but also much >gets lost in a theatre setting which this was...anyway, his vocal >chops are >out of this world & there were many many jaw dropping moments when >he hit some notes that were just transcendent... > > >******************************************** >Kate Bennett >www.katebennett.com >sponsored by Polysonics >Discover the Indies at Taylor Guitars: >http://www.taylorguitars.com/artists/awp/indies/bennett.html >******************************************** > >Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2002 19:31:10 -0700 >From: "kakki" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: rufus & chris in concert and some julia news (njc) > >Wow, what a great double bill! They've played here together in L.A. a >couple times but I never got out to see them. Finally saw Chris >open for Julia Fordham a few months ago and he was just fantastic. >Truly original. Then so many here have raved about Rufus but I >hadn't gotten around to checking him out, either, until a few weeks >ago I heard coming from the TV in the other room the most incredible >song and singer I've heard in a long time. I raced (almost stubbing >my toe) into the living room and watched this guy not knowing who he >was. I was totally blown away and completely mesmerized by him. At >the end of his song they announced he was Rufus. Oh my - now I know >what others have been saying. Same thing happened just yesterday >finally hearing Norah Jones on the car radio. Exhilarating! It's >high time to click on CDNow and get out the credit card again! ;-) > >Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 19:24:18 EDT >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: rufus & chris in concert (njc) > >Randy wrote: > > > I guess I'm not one of them! I've seen him on a few shows including > > the John Lennon tribute, and...to me he sings off pitch and not very > > well. I thought he was pretty awful. It's all subjective, no? > > His dad, on the other hand.... > >And Kakki replied > ><< This is so funny - part of why I didn't run too fast to get his >music is because his dad doesn't do much for me (but I'm >considering giving him another listen now ;-) So much of what I >hear in the background drones in through one ear and out the other >but Rufus took my breath away immediately - I was just transfixed. >I love his voice and music - it is different but very compelling to >me - maybe it's all those weird minor notes. I think he is >tremendously original.>> > >Well Kakki, > >Include me out! I think he has got talent - BUT I find his voice >virtually unlistenable - so much vibrato that he makes Aaron >Neville sound like Lou Reed. The Wainwright/McGarrigle sprog I'm >much more interested in is Martha Wainwright: I haven't heard much >of her, but her songwriting contribution to The McGarrigle Hour, >Year Of The Dragon, is the highlight of the set, which is saying a >lot. > >Oh, and I think their Dad is wonderful! > >Azeem in London
