Rufus Wainwright Raises the Rafters at Finney
by Kate Antognini

“Let’s 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, “It’s 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 Cohen’s 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 brother’s 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 audience’s 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.”