I haven't written much about my time with Rufus Wainwright this past year. I know I spent considerable time blogging about his Hollywood Bowl performance, but that's only one of the four times that I've seen him since last April. As my friend J puts it, I've seen Rufus more times in one year than most people ever see their favorite performers. I've just been lucky because he's been touring in support of his CD Release the Stars, and he's stopped by the Los Angeles area a few times. And the ticket prices are reasonable (not like the several hundred I've had to pay each time I've gone to see one of my other favorites, Barbra Streisand). He seems to enjoy performing here, and I'm glad to take advantage of those times when he's around.
Each time I've gone to see him perform has been different. The first time was last spring at the El Rey, which is so close to my apartment that I just walked to the show. His opening act that night was his friend Teddy Thompson, son of Linda and Richard, and he's also very good. Rufus played all of the songs from the CD, which was brand new at the time, and a couple of other favorites. He even did a couple of Judy Garland numbers from the then-forthcoming Carnegie Hall tribute concert, including my favorite "If Love Were All." He was there with his band, and they all seemed to have a great time playing together. However, the El Rey doesn't have seats except for those reserved for industry types (who, oddly enough, never seem to sit in them for long). I had to stand for the entire evening, and if you go to the bathroom, you lose your spot. I've pretty much decided that's the last time I plan to stand for an entire concert. Sorry, Rufus.
The second performance was the already-somewhat-famous Hollywood Bowl appearance. There's an entire blog about that, so you can read that again if you like. Rufus sang none of his music that night, just songs that Garland had performed more than four decades before at the same venue. He had the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra to back him up, as well his mother and sister and Judy's daughter Lorna Luft. It was an unbelieveable, almost impossibly wonderful evening. I can still recall almost all of the details vividly.
This spring I've had the chance to see him perform twice. The first time was at the Wiltern, a lovely old Art Deco theater at the corner of Wilshire and Western (yes, hence, the name). Again, Rufus had a full band and sang mostly the material from the CD. However, this time he also performed more of the songs that have become people's favorites over the years, and he even threw in a couple of songs from the Garland concert, including his drag version of "Get Happy." He then stayed in drag to perform "Gay Messiah," perfectly capping the evening. Brilliant way to end the show, by the way. His opening act that night was someone French with a band named Tour de France or some such. She sang in French, a language I know very little of, so it was a bit of a stall for me until the "real" show began.
The Wiltern, by the way, has seats. Even though they look like chairs for a hotel banquet room, they are still seats. And you don't have to stand until the show is over. And you don't have to hold your spot by holding your bladder for three hours. What a blessing. If I'd had to stand next to Drunk Sweaty Fat Guy all night, I don't think I could have stayed. Since we were sitting all night, he kept shifting in his chair, much to the annoyance of his date, I'm sure, but much to my relief when I didn't have to smell him for a few minutes. I actually hadn't been to the Wiltern since before the Northridge earthquake of 1994 (is that right? wow), and it was a delight to see this beautiful gem again. I'd love to go to another performance there even if I had to sit next to Drunk Sweaty Fat Guy again.
One interesting side note about the Wiltern concert: I kept seeing teenage boys (like 14 or 15 or so, maybe even younger) with older women who must have been their mothers. I, of course, had to make up a scenario wherein these young guys are already out to their families, and their moms are supporting them by taking them to hear their favorite male singers. Wouldn't that make a lovely world? I hope that's exactly what was going on.
The most recent show happened only a couple of weeks ago at my alma mater (well, one of them), the University of Southern California. Rufus performed solo in Bovard Auditorium as a part of the Pride Week celebration. He also picked up an award that night from the One Institute, the gay and lesbian archives affiliated with the university. It was just Rufus and his piano and a guitar. And it was glorious. He's still just as fascinating when it's just him sitting at the piano as when he has a full band or orchestra behind him. He doesn't need anyone besides himself to make a full night's entertainment. The crowd seemed very knowledgeable, recognizing almost every song from the first few notes. Maybe these college kids are smarter than I gave them credit for being.
The opening act was another friend of his, Julianna Raye. Rufus seems to keep his friendships over long periods of time. He's had several of his friends perform with him. I think that says a great deal about his character. She wasn't the most talented singer; of course, I was in the balcony and she was singing so softly at times. That may have influenced my feelings toward her performance. I never could figure out what she was saying in between songs, but the rest of the audience seemed to enjoy it, so I guess that's good enough.
Rufus would sing three songs at the piano, punctuated with his charismatic ramblings between them. He would then stand to perform three songs with the guitar, and then he'd return to the piano. He kept this rotation up throughout the concert, but he never seemed tired or at a loss for what to say. My favorite comments had to do with his outfit, which he described as "amazing" but then warned had not been properly hemmed and was in danger of becoming unbuttoned at any moment.
Rufus is gone from Southern California now. He's back in Europe, I believe, touring and making the crowds there happy. I'm certain he'll be back again in Los Angeles, and I'm pretty confident I'll be buying tickets to see him again too.
My friend C (who's making somewhat regular appearances on this blog now) says that we fall in love with our favorite singers or stars. I think she's right, to a degree. I don't think I'm truly in love with Streisand "in that way," but I empathize with her in most of her performances and I can certainly relate to the subjects of many of her best songs. With Rufus, though, it is different. He is charming, talented, handsome, wickedly funny--the list goes on. How could someone not fall in love with him? I listen to his music or I watch him perform, and suddenly I'm a younger man again. I'm in my late 20s with all of the possibility of love and romance ahead, despite a number of heartbreaks and regrets already. His music and his performances make me forget for a while that I'm a 44-year-old single gay man in Los Angeles. And that's reason enough to love him right there.
Come back soon, Rufus.
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