:: Rufus Wainwright - live at Manchester Lane, Melbourne - February 2005

By: Joseph Crofts

Rufus Wainwright is a wit, a dandy, a tart, and a lovable minx. I know this because I saw him display these glorious attributes in his show at Manchester Lane on Sunday night. I mean, who else would dare to joke that the stage they were playing on resembled a Public Access TV studio. Who else, would dare to say this whilst dressed in a spray-on yellow, lycra top and low slung brown and yellow hipster pants, with only a guitar and piano up there to protect him, from an expectant audience and promoter.

As soon as Wainwright entered stage left, gave a quick nasally “Hello Melbourne”, and launched into the pained wailing that opens his new album ‘Want Two,’ it was evident that he is a performer so confident in his own talent that he can be his light-hearted self on stage at all times. After beginning with newer tracks ‘Agnus Dei’ and ‘Pretty Things’ he paused to partake in some more witty banter with the audience. During this, a tête-à-tête occurred when one punter shouted that he could see Rufus‘ “arse-crack.” Thus, in response Wainwright duly dedicated a song to it (his arse-crack that is). S**ts and giggles aside, Rufus’ deft ability to shift his audience‘s mood was something to behold. His show changed emotional colour so often and so seamlessly that I began to feel like I was partaking in an elegant journey down the tube of a kaleidoscope. Songs about his sister, father and mother were all delivered with intensity - then just as quickly he shifted to a darkly comic song about the 'Gay Messiah,’ - and then back again into more serious territory.

During his heartfelt tribute to Jeff Buckley (‘Memphis Skyline’) I imagined a ghostly Jeff sitting out on the muddy bank of the Yarra River, just a few streets away, listening to Wainwright‘s beautifully forlorn ode to his beauty and talent. When Rufus followed this with his cover of Leonard Cohen & Buckley's hit 'Hallelujah’ the audience seemed momentarily mesmerised. Then, with just a few quick flicks of his ‘precious’ hair, and a quip about his ‘slutty’ appearance, he changed the crowd's tone from sombre to saucy all over again.

Other highlight tracks from the night were; ‘Vibrate,’ ‘The Art Teacher’ - in which the singer adopts a schoolgirl‘s persona, 'Foolish Love’ and ‘In My Arms’ from the first of his four albums, and ‘Matinee Idol’ a song about the day River Phoenix died. All these tunes were delivered in Wainwright‘s customary throaty, but always perfectly in-tune, vocal style - that has been described by some as the voice of a 'congested angel.’

He returned for two encores during which he played some of the songs from his second album ‘Poses,’ and then bade us farewell, saying that he hoped to be back soon. In the meantime, given Mr Wainwright's wit and natural performance skills, those Melbourne Comedy Festival organisers should get on the blower and offer him a headline gig asap.