Rufus Wainwright News

After staging one-off tributes to Judy Garland's 1961 Carnegie Hall concert in New York, London, and Paris, openly gay baroque-pop singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright performed his final Judy tribute show last night (Sunday, September 23) at Los Angeles's world-famous Hollywood Bowl--accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and three very special guests.

Taking the stage in the first of four costume changes, Rufus was resplendent in a velvet jacket, white slacks, rhinestone-studded corsage, and, in Rufus's words, "amazing Tom Ford shirt which is bordering on the ridiculous. But then again, so was Judy--that's what we love about her." He then opened with "When You're Smiling" before declaring, "We're not in Kansas anymore!"

Vamping it up and shamelessly showboating as he crooned Judy classics like "Almost Like Being In Love" and "Puttin' On The Ritz," Rufus wowed the capacity audience with a gorgeous voice that seemed tailor-made for these songs--indicating that he could have a long career covering standards, a la Bryan Ferry or Rod Stewart, if he so chooses.

He also entertained the crowd (which included Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell, Hilary Swank, Debbie Reynolds, and Kate Pierson of the B-52's) with quirky stage banter and between-song anecdotes, including one tale about supposedly being saved from drowning as a small child by Broadway star Betty Buckley. ("That story got me far at the gay bar--but this [concert] is going to get me farther," he quipped.)

For his second act, Rufus returned clad in a full tuxedo, marveling aloud that back when Judy Garland performed her landmark Carnegie Hall show in 1961 to an audience of "85 percent gay men," it was actually illegal to be homosexual at that time--and now, here was a gay man 46 years later, blatantly belting out these songs onstage at the Hollywood Bowl. He then dedicated "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" to the men who were at that famous 1961 show, declaring them "revolutionaries and freedom fighters."

Wainwright then announced that, like Judy Garland herself, he has an "amazing" musical family--so he invited his singer-songwriter sister, Martha Wainwright, onstage to sing "Stormy Weather." Her incredible, emotional performance was a true stunner that nearly upstaged her own brother (she received the first standing ovation of the night). Then Rufus's mother, folk singer Kate McGarrigle, accompanied her son on piano as he sat cross-legged on the stage floor singing a starkly beautiful version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." Finally, a member of Judy Garland's own family, daughter Lorna Luft, emerged in a flamboyant flamingo-pink evening gown to duet with Rufus on "After You've Gone."

The most striking costume change of all came during the encore's first song, "Get Happy," when Rufus pranced out in full Judy drag: fedora, diamond earrings, red lipstick, double-breasted tuxedo jacket, seamed black stockings, and high heels. The audience subsequently went crazy.

The show concluded with Lorna Luft singing one of her mother's favorite numbers, "Carolina In The Morning"; Martha Wainwright again astounding the audience with her rendition of "Someone To Watch Over Me" (dedicated to her new husband); Kate McGarrigle accompanying Rufus (now dressed in a zebra-print bathrobe) on "Every Time We Say Goodbye"; and Rufus completely camping it up on "San Francisco."

Lorna Luft happily declared, "Isn't this wonderful? I'd like to thank Rufus for celebrating my mother's musical legacy." And judging by the audience's reaction, she wasn't the only one who was thankful for this wonderful concert experience.

Rufus Wainwright's full Hollywood Bowl setlist is as follows:

ACT 1
Garland Overture
When You're Smiling
Almost Like Being in Love
Do It Again
You Go To My Head
Alone Together
Who Cares?
Puttin On The Ritz
How Long Has This Been Going On?
Just You, Just Me
The Man That Got Away
San Francisco

ACT 2
That's Entertainment
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Come Rain Or Come Shine
You're Nearer
A Foggy Day
If Love Were All
Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
Stormy Weather (vocals by Martha Wainwright) You Made Me Love You / For Me And My Gal / Trolley Song (Medley)
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (with Kate McGarrigle)
Swanee
After You've Gone (with Lorna Luft)
Chicago

ENCORE
Get Happy
Carolina In The Morning (vocals by Lorna Luft)
Someone To Watch Over Me (vocals by Martha Wainwright)
Every Time We Say Goodbye
San Francisco (Reprise)