Rufus Wainwright (gig)

Rufus Wainwright
State Theatre, Sydney (29th January, 2008)

Supported by Leena

The State Theatre is a vast auditorium, and for the meek singer-songwriter, the expanse must be intimidating. I feel that was the case for poor Leena, whose set felt overwhelmed. While she showed plenty of promise with glimpses of talent (particularly 'After the Rain' on the keys), there was nothing striking about her voice or instrumental prowess. Instead, it was very clear that the theatre was grander than her presence and abilities. I do hope that she will grow into performance and come back more relaxed and able to start a rapport with future audiences.

Conversely, it seems Rufus Wainwright is a born performer. Gregarious, cheeky and brimming with campness, the droll musician is one of the few people who can walk the tightrope between class and trash and not take a fall, especially in the type of clothes he chooses to wear to performances.

Wainwright has plenty of sparkle, literally and metaphorically, which he shared with his eight piece band, making the live experience richer for it. As this gig followed the issue of his recent album 'Release the Stars', most of the set revolved around a mix of the album's content. Some songs on the album I found a bit flat, but in the live setting Wainwright does a superb job of making everything seem ten times more exciting than it probably is.

The picks of the night were the jaunty 'Matinee Idol', the thumping 'Between My Legs' (with the speaking part completed by competition winner Chantal) and a rather brash version of 'Do I Disappoint You'. And I'd probably follow that with his a cappella rendition of an Irish folk song (I forget the name), which was both touching and, well, showing off his vocal talents (why am I not surprised?) as well as the 'Rufus does Judy Garland' section (see above image) in the latter part of the gig. I wish my legs were like that!

Wainwright deserved all the accolades. His banter between songs was witty and self-deprecating (before 'Leaving for Paris' he mentioned that he wrote it for the film Moulin Rouge but it was eventually dropped in the final edit of the movie, "and that was a flop so let that be a lesson") and by the end of the night he had the audience eating from his hand.

A top class performer, a must-see live even if you only have a passing interest in his music.

Gig rating: 8/10
Enjoyment rating: 10/10