Rufus Wainwright the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts August 23
Rufus Wainwright Alive! at the Grunin Center
By Spotlight Cardinal . Photos by Dear Imagery
It'south starting to feel a scrap like autumn on this August 23, 2019 evening outside Toms River, NJ'south Grunin Center for the Arts every bit we ready ourselves for a late-summer concert appearance past the talented vocaliser/songwriter Rufus Wainwright.
Inside the cozy Grunin Center auditorium, we chat with two Wainwright fans — Madeline and her mom, Megan, from Manchester.
Says Madeline, fifteen, "I like Rufus Wainwright'south way — he has a beautiful voice and he can sing unlike styles of music."
"I listen to his songs on the radio and on YouTube," notes Madeline before revealing, "I even named my German shepherd, Rufus, after him."
Notes mom, Megan, "I actually like him, too — he's very handsome — but I'm here tonight for my girl," recalling, "The first time Madeline heard Rufus Wainwright was when he performed Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' in the movie, Shrek. She just loved him, and although she was very young, she started researching his music and has been following him every since."
The lights dim and this evening's warm-upwards act, The Rails, takes the phase. The grouping is comprised of Kami Thompson — the daughter of well-known British musicians Richard Thompson and Linda Thompson — and James Walbourne — sometime guitarist for Chrissy Hynde in The Pretenders. The husband and wife duo from London opens their acoustic set with a number from their new album, Abolish the Sun.
Launching into "Mossy Well," Thompson and Walbourne play acoustic guitars and sing in harmony, "And if my listen has so dissolved/The problem now cannot be solved/Then purchase a round and wish me well/Then drown me at the mossy well."
Following avid applause, the pair performs "William Taylor," a British folk song which tells an ill-fated love story, blending their voices together with dash and intuition.
After announcing, "We are The Rail from England, and the next three songs are from our new album, Cancel the Sun," Thompson and Walbourne perform "Call Me When It All Goes Incorrect," an upbeat number in which they sing, "Don't requite me that love that hurts/You lot won't be my final/And you weren't my first/We're all in a race against time/And you're getting in the way of mine."
Post-obit, "Something Is Slipping My Heed," a haunting carol which features the duo'south sweetness harmony vocals, Walbourne announces, "This is for my wife — my beautiful wife," at which bespeak Thompson reveals, "We've been married seven years and suddenly he's started introducing me as his wife — it's creepy!"
Here, the two perform "Brawl and Concatenation," a story song on which they sing, "I'm in prison, bored and poisoned/Spend all my money on the ball and chain/She's my weakness, it'southward no hugger-mugger/I'1000 just a slave to the ball and chain."
The oversupply applauds and The Track introduce their next number stating, "Information technology tin can be near anyone yous want — really crazy people, or money-grabbers," earlier performing "At that place are Other People in this Earth Not Just You." The audience enjoys this folk-rocker which features the couple'southward spot-on vocal harmonies.
Thompson publicly thanks Rufus Wainwright for the opportunity to open this night's show for him revealing, "Nosotros've been friends for a really long time," and the pair concludes their set with the championship track from Abolish the Sun.
On this slow emotional interpretation, The Rails sing, "Cancel the sunday/Howdy Armageddon/Banished to blue/A long manner from heaven," equally Walbourne bends the strings of his audio-visual while he solos and Thompson accompanies him strumming her guitar.
The crowd responds with a standing ovation.
During a short intermission, we conversation with Valerie from Middletown — a long-fourth dimension fan of Rufus Wainwright — who declares, "I loved The Runway!"
When asked what in particular brings her here tonight, Valerie responds, "Rufus — he's a cute, unique artist," disclosing, "We've waited seven years to see him."
Explaining, "We'd moved out of the expanse and Rufus didn't play anywhere nigh where we lived," Valerie recalls, "Nosotros've seen him a number of times — he has a beautiful voice," before acknowledging, "And I just love it when he forgets the words — he'll but stop and joke and then first again."
David from Middletown agrees adding, "Rufus is ane of a kind. He comes from a musical family" — his father is folk musician Loudon Wainwright and his mother is the late folksinger Kate McGarrigle — "and he'due south just one complete vocaliser/songwriter."
Adding, "This is a bully venue — the operation infinite is so personal here," David concludes by noting, "Rufus appreciates playing in pocket-size wholesome theaters similar this one."
The auditorium lights dim and the crowd stands and cheers every bit Rufus Wainwright enters, bows, and waves to his fans before sitting down at the grand piano.
Singing from his soul, he opens with "Agnus Dei," his voice exposed and dramatic showing depth and range as he wails "Agnus dei/Agnus dei/Qui tollis peccata mundi" while expertly playing a low rolling accompaniment on the grand piano.
The audition responds with avid applause equally Wainwright segues into a piano interlude which morphs into his lovely piece, "Gray Gardens." On this opera-inspired pop melody, Wainwright inspires the crowd with his impressive vocal, instrumental, and compositional skills.
The audition applauds and Wainwright addresses the crowd announcing, "Information technology's so great to exist in this amazing place — with pianos!"
After a fan in the crowd yells out, "Happy anniversary!" Wainwright acknowledges, "It's my vii yr nuptials anniversary."
Then, singing with his eyes closed, he launches into "This Beloved Affair."
Wainwright'southward slow, Chopin-esque piano accompaniment supports his legato vocal which is total, expressive, and filled with emotion — his voice hanging in the air for all to beverage in.
Leaving the piano, Wainwright picks upwardly his acoustic guitar and shares a story almost FaceTiming a friend of his earlier today who happens to be in Spain and staying at Irish musician Bono'southward house.
"When she asked where I was," Wainwright sighs and explains in his deadpan style, "I said, I'thousand in Toms River, New Jersey," before acknowledging, "but tomorrow I'll be in East Orange, New Jersey."
Strumming as he sings "Out of the Game," a popular melody with an easy going groove, Wainwright knocks on his guitar at times to provide rhythm while he bounces to the beat.
His voice smoothen and resonant, he performs "Jericho." Singing, "I keep thinking that you are going to modify/I keep thinking that you are going to rearrange/Merely I'm a fool to think something so impossible/You ain't e'er gonna change," Wainwright elicits cheers from the crowd on this country-rocker.
Thanking the audition, Wainwright says, "Today is my 7th wedding anniversary, only Jörn and I have been together 14 years. Ever since 'Tiergarten' from Release the Stars, there has to be i vocal nearly him on every tape," before acknowledging, "and the new anthology volition come out next April."
Here, Wainwright performs "Peaceful Afternoon," a charming honey song on which he sings, "And I pray that your face is the final I encounter on a peaceful afternoon in the living room," to rapid guitar strumming.
Going back to the piano, the audience cheers as he plays the keyboard introduction to another story song, "The Art Teacher."
On this number, Wainwright's Mozartian piano function moves in contrast to his legato vocal line. At times shaking his head side to side as he sings, he ends with quickly arpeggiated chords which are followed by appreciative thank you, hoots, and hollers from the crowd.
Launching into another vocal from his upcoming album, Wainwright performs "Early Morning Madness." Ho-hum minor chords underscore Wainwright's longing vocal. The legato line of the melody and his arpeggiated piano playing invite the listener into the song'south tale equally information technology builds in dynamics and mood. Crescendoing like a symphony before returning to a droning melancholy melody of emotion, the crowd responds with enthusiastic applause at the decision.
The clapping continues when the audition recognizes the piano introduction to "Poses." Equally he sings, "The dark-green autumnal parks conducting/All the city streets a wondrous chorus singing/All these poses oh how tin you blame me/Life is a game and true dearest is a trophy," Wainwright's pianoforte accompaniment builds and his clear phonation fills the theater on this slow and lush musical performance.
The crowd cheers, and Wainwright responds by picking up his guitar and performing "Gay Messiah," a folk song in six/8 time, before announcing, "This is a new song — information technology's a song for everybody," joking, "except for one person."
Slow guitar strumming accompanies "Only the People That Dear," a slow ballad with a legato vocal line which mesmerizes the audience.
It's followed by "So Long Marianne," a Leonard Cohen embrace on which he sings, "Now so long, Marianne/It's time that we began to laugh/And cry and cry and laugh well-nigh information technology all again."
Afterwards stopping mid-vocal because he skipped a poesy, Wainwright smiles and works his way back to the right lyrics as the crowd whistles and cheers.
A highlight of tonight's program is Wainwright'southward performance of "Montauk." With his intricate arpeggiated piano accompaniment which contrasts with the composition's legato melody, Wainwright sings, "I day you lot will come to Montauk/And you will meet your dad wearing a kimono/And come across your other dad pruning roses/Promise you won't turn around and get."
As the crowd cheers and applauds, Wainwright announces, "That song is addressing my daughter, Viva," earlier acknowledging, "I've been having a great time with my dad. I've been to Montauk," joking, "As the earth is ending, everything is becoming really great."
Here, he performs "Dinner at Eight." Laying everything out there, Wainwright'due south singing is expressive and he performs with his eyes closed as he intensely communicates the excruciating pain he once experienced with his famous father — Loudon Wainwright — every bit he wails, "Merely 'til then no, Daddy, don't be surprised/If I wanna see the tears in your eyes/Then I know it had to be long ago/Actually in the drifting white snow/You loved me."
The crowd thank you and Wainwright cheers the audience earlier announcing "Cheers to The Rails" and calculation, "I love this place — it's smashing!"
To conclude his show, Wainwright performs "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk." Singing "Cigarettes and chocolate milk/These are only a couple of my cravings/Everything it seems I like'due south a niggling bit stronger/A little flake thicker, a little bit harmful for me," Wainwright follows upwards by demonstrating his considerable piano chops on this Broadway-like ditty equally he plays two-handed Rachmaninoff-similar runs and chords on the interlude.
Bowing graciously to a standing ovation, Wainwright exits the stage equally the audience continues to cheer for his render.
Retaking his place at the pianoforte, Wainwright performs an encore of his 2007 composition, "Going to a Boondocks." The song'southward haunting piano part and lyrics build to a crescendo on the coda of this pessimistic number about America in which he sings, "I'm going to a town that has already been burnt down/I'yard going to a identify that has already been disgraced/I'm gonna run across some folks who take already been let down."
Post-obit responsive adulation, Wainwright invites The Rail to join him onstage declaring, "We're going to go out on a positive note!"
The trio — consisting of Wainwright on vocals and piano, Walbourne on vocals and acoustic guitar, and Thompson on vocals — performs Leonard Cohen'south masterpiece, "Hallelujah."
Wainwright sings the first verse of the exquisite tune every bit the piano and acoustic guitar ring out with three-part harmony on the chorus. Thompson handles the lead on the second poesy and Walbourne joins her for poesy three before Wainwright retakes the lead on the terminal verse with The Rails providing harmony vocals. The fluid arrangement brings the members of the audience to their feet equally The Rails and, and then, Wainwright wave and take go out of the stage.
Equally audition members filter out of the Grunin Middle auditorium, we conversation with several music lovers who share their opinions of this night's concert.
Comments Barbara from Spruce Head, ME, "Excellent! Superb! Rufus was terrific! I've seen him before — this is my 49th concert in three years. He'south such an infrequent musician. He has such integrity."
Susan from Little Silver concurs acknowledging, "This is my first time seeing him and I loved information technology!"
Nicole from Philadelphia recounts, "We drove in summer shore traffic just to see this concert. I've seen Rufus Wainwright eight or nine times, but information technology was such an intimate evening here in the Grunin Eye theater."
Calculation, "His vox is so resonant with very pure tones," Nicole explains, "Information technology's amazing how it blends with the piano," before terminal, "And hearing 'Hallelujah' with those vocal harmonies was like going to church!"
Liz from Naples, FL remarks, "This is my 74th Rufus Wainwright concert in three years," explaining, "I follow him equally my hobby. I've seen him all over — I've even traveled to Europe to see him. He has a big vox and lots of slap-up arrangements," before noting, "And The Rails were really terrific too."
Mona from Dumont exclaims, "This show was fantastic! With Rufus, it'due south just his voice and a single instrument — piano or guitar. The control and resonance of his vocalization is merely amazing," adding, "And it makes it existent when he forgets the lyrics!"
Lastly, we catch upward with Madeline, fifteen, from Manchester, and her mom, whom we interviewed before the bear witness. When asked how she enjoyed tonight'south operation, Madeline has no words, only smiles an enormous smile from ear to ear.
Replies Madeline'due south mom, Megan, nevertheless, "Holy smokes —it was just incredible!"
To learn more than nigh Rufus Wainwright, please click on rufuswainwright.com. For farther information on The Rails, go to therailsofficial.com. For more than on upcoming shows at the Grunin Heart for the Arts — including Savion Glover and The Platonic Ensemble on October four, Graham Nash on October 13, and The Cowboy Junkies on November 7 — please get to grunincenter.org.
Source: https://medium.com/spotlight-central/rufus-wainwright-live-at-the-grunin-center-e704fc730ae4