Rufus
Wainwright Raises the Rafters at Finney
by Kate Antognini
Lets
rock this Chapel! Rufus Wainwright cried to the throng of
exuberant Obies gathered in Finney on Saturday night. For a few
thrilling hours, the audience seemed to forget that they were seated
in an old, cavernous structure, as the high, vaulted ceiling fell
back and all attention focused on the man standing under the pink
and blue spotlights.
Clearly aware of his star power, the mop-haired Canadian singer-songwriter
easily slipped into his role as performer the moment that he stepped
on the stage.
Wainwright laid his charming personality bare to the crowd throughout
his performance, sometimes wailing with his unrestrained voice,
sometimes whispering thickly over lilting piano scales, sprinkling
hilarious tidbits about his life.
Touring with a full band in promotion of his critically acclaimed
second album, Poses, Wainwright is one of the biggest acts that
Oberlin has recently welcomed and he was certainly greeted by a
fanatic crowd. Before the show, the line outside curved around Finney
and stretched all the way to Wilder. Inside the chapel, the audience
was riled up and shuffling in their seats long before the lights
dimmed.
When Wainwright finally did appear, decked in retro garb, he immediately
spread a calm over the jittery crowd with his soothing voice. Jumping
into the sing-songy Grey Gardens, he led his lively
band on the grand piano.
After finishing the song, Wainwright stepped up to the mic and greeted
his fans, Its great to be here in Oberlin
it reminds
me of when we would go to college in high school and hang out with
the big boys. But he added, if the apocalypse happens,
according to the Jesus people out on [Main] Street, it will be in
this state.
Then he flew through most of Poses, alternating between guitar and
piano and backed by his five-piece band who added sparkling instrumental
and vocal polish to his music.
Remarkably, Wainwright was much better live than on CD, even though
his smooth, mellow voice already sounds so good coming from a stereo.
During the show, he lifted certain songs out of the rough that had
seemed forgettable on Poses.
Highlights were the instrumental, East-Asian tinged (despite its
name) Greek Song, the fast-beat California
and the radio friendy, self-mocking Cigarettes and Chocolate
Milk. Wainwright performed beautiful renditions of several
classics, including Leonard Cohens gospel Hallelujah,
and the Beatles Across the Universe, both of which
received ripples of loud applause from the audience. He also touched
on several memorable songs from his first, self-titled album such
as April Fools and Beauty Mark.
Although Wainwright was the main attraction, his band did not melt
into the background, as is often the case on solo-headlining tours.
Rufus and his sister, Martha, engaged in a spirited dance as they
floated around each other on the stage and exchanged playful sibling
barbs. At one point, a grinning Wainwright ordered his unwillingly
compliant sister to bring him the cup of wine sitting on top of
the piano.
Guitarist and vocalist Teddy Thompson, who looked like a combination
of Thom Yorke and Bryan Adams, opened the show. At first Thompson
was met with some annoyance from overly eager Rufus fans. Who
are you? someone in the front yelled indignantly when Thompson
appeared on the stage.
Unperturbed, the British singer picked up his acoustic guitar and
delivered a string of heartfelt and frank love songs punctuated
by clear guitar chords. He was later joined by Martha Wainwright,
who first accompanied him and then delved into her own sultry songs,
which were suffused with a folksier twang than her brothers
music.
When Wainwright entered the stage, Martha and Teddy Thompson fell
into their places on vocals and guitar, Butch of the Eels on drums,
Jeff Hills on bass and John Balinger rounded out the group with
clarinet, piano and guitar accompaniment.
By the end of the show, the concertgoers, some dancing in the aisles
or in front of the stage, were still itching for more Rufus. Wainwright
himself seemed slightly surprised by the audiences extremely
enthusiastic response. After his second encore, he picked up his
guitar again and said into the mic, You guys are really into
this show
well thank you.
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