|
Post by billcs on Jun 15, 2007 22:58:34 GMT -5
I hope to give you all a recap of these shows that I saw this past week sometime tomorrow!
|
|
|
Post by billcs on Jun 16, 2007 18:33:57 GMT -5
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT at The Music Hall, Toronto - June 11/07
It's very rare that a favourite singer of mine performs on my birthday. So this was a particularly neat treat. Rufus was in extremely fine voice, and was accompanied by a 7 piece band, including a 3 piece horn section. All of the songs were either from his latest CD Release The Stars (from which he performed all of the songs) or from Want 1 or Want 2, which were released in 2003 and 2004. He also delved into songs performed by his recent obsession - Judy Garland.
The first part of the show was strictly a showcase for his voice, and unfortunately he was drowned out by a loud mix for some of it. Particularly well done were "Sanssouci", "Tiergarten", and a beautiful rendition of "Leaving For Paris No 2". He admitted that singing a difficult song like "Tulsa" might be a stretch - it didn't work for him that evening, but at least he gave it the old college try! He also says that the song is about Brandon Flowers of The Killers - never did I expect my favourite song on the CD to be about someone specific!
There was a brief intermission, and then he was back with great versions of "Slideshow", "Complainte de la Butte" (from "Moulin Rouge!") and "The Art Teacher", but also two Judy Garland songs, one of which I recognized as "A Foggy Day In London Town" - stunning recreations really. As you may know, Rufus performed at Carnegie Hall last year, essentially recreating her much-revered concert from 1961, something that I want to see when it appears on DVD in the Fall. He also performed an a cappella Irish tune recommended by mom Kate McGarrigle - a great match for his voice. As the concert drew to a close, he came back for his encore in a bathrobe, during which he put on lipstick and high heels, only to reveal a short dress and stockings underneath, another Judy Garland recreation of a scene from one of her movies called "Summer Stock".
It's hard to knock the concert because it was a great performance vocally. But his technically-correct band never came alive until the end, and I kind of miss the Rufus that I saw between 1998 and 2002 - a tradeoff of a more personable quirky personality for a classic vocalist who will endure with time, I suppose.
DARREN HAYES at The Mod Club, Toronto - June 15/07
Another openly gay performer, former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes played to about 500 people at the Mod Club. A completely different show from Rufus, Darren also proved himself to be a formidable vocalist, but one who prefers to play with technology. This was a very interactive show that focused on songs from his upcoming third solo CD This Delicate Thing We've Made. It looks like it will emphasize electronics and a futuristic, sci-fi theme. Darren was accompanied by a guitarist, drummer, and keyboardist.
He played the songs that he has already previewed to the public on his MySpace site, "Who Would Have Thought", "Step Into The Light", and the upcoming single "On The Verge of Something Wonderful". These were all well-received by the appreciative audience - "Step Into The Light" livened up the show and got a thunderous response, while "On The Verge" sounds very radio-ready. In the hour set, he focused only fleetingly on Savage Garden (a totally vocodorized "I Want You", which sounded terrific, and "Carry On Dancing") and his Tension & The Spark CD ("I Like The Way", "Unlovable", and the encore of "Darkness").
What helped make Darren's set very playful were some references to other songs throughout, such as excerpts from Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus", Justin Timberlake's "LoveStoned" (!), and ironically an 80's favourite of mine called "Teardrops" by Womack & Womack that was never a North American hit. Best of all of these covers was a full tilt version of Prince's "Baby I'm A Star" - which he mashed up with some verses from his own "Pop!ular".
Darren's very humble, asking the audience a few times if they remembered him, and apologizing for not visiting Canada since Savage Garden days. After this fun showcase - which I was glad to see in a club setting - I'm hopeful that his new CD will find a proper place with the public and that he'll play to bigger venues with a longer set.
|
|
|
Post by M! on Jun 18, 2007 21:34:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the review, Bill!
So Darren didn't showcase any other songs from his upcoming album? Only "Step Into The Light", "Who Would Have Thought", and "On The Verge..." ?
|
|
|
Post by billcs on Jun 18, 2007 21:47:48 GMT -5
One or two others - I think they were "How To Build A Time Machine" and "Me Myself and (i)".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2007 16:32:30 GMT -5
I just heard the new Rufus album, so thanks for the review, sounds cool. And yes, I knew "Tulsa" was about Brandon jajajaja how cute is that?? ;D
|
|
|
Post by billcs on Jul 1, 2007 19:23:15 GMT -5
|
|