Rufus Wainwright - Classic or Dud?

That was amazing, Josh, thanks for posting it. I spent the whole song curiously thinking he sounded a bit like Sting (even though no one sounds like Sting, really) and then only realised at the end that that was Sting next to him and that that was a Sting song.

Alfred I appreciate u

that performance is really nice

Man, that was indeed good, thanks. Is that Christian McBride playing upright?

Probably. Didn’t know they had a thing together.

My say last week: https://www.stereogum.com/2148922/rufus-wainwright-poses-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/

Which is what made me think of Rufus for the first time in eons, tbh, so when I saw the Isbell link it caught my eye.

FWIW, I only saw him live once, c. the first album, in a tiny club with iirc Tegan and Sara opening. They all were massively entertaining and killed it, at least as I remember it.

I’ve seen him live… I think five times? Large and small venues over the last 15+ years. Never been disappointed.

Yall got me flashing back to YouTubed concert footage: he's disconcerted by guest shot ov raw, killin'-it teen Martha, but, "My Mother would kill me if I didn't let her do this." Mom knew best.

Invasion of the Martha thread, sry

I saw him touring Poses, opening for Roxy Music in 2001. He did fine but an arena was probably not the best venue for low-key charm.

There was an annoying music writer in the local alt-weekly who made a point, every time that Martha was mentioned, of tossing in an aside about how Rufus must be dying of jealousy, shaking with fear, why doesn't Rufus just pack it in, etc. etc. etc.

Heh I'm sure he can handle it. (Looking fwd to her new alb btw)

Oh, I didn't feel bad for Rufus, it was just such a corny attitude (and assumption that they were in competition, or she needed boosting).

I was lucky to see him in a very small setting - basically someone's fancy back yard. His young daughter was in the front row and was basically heckling him the whole time. It was hilarious / adorable.

Seen him twice: once at a free show at a bar in London, Ontario in advance of the debut's release (before the show, I asked him if it was OK if I took pictures, and he asked that I only do so during the guitar songs), and then again on that Poses tour with Tegan and Sara, at the Toronto bar where Queer as Folk was filmed.