It has all started by me listening to George Michael´s singing "Going to town" in his concert. He named Rufus Wainwright as the author. I didn´t know anything about that guy and for some weird reason I have imagined him to be some old, scruffy musical degenarate, someone like aged Johny Cash.
I was shocked to find out he was exactly the opposite. Young, fresh, gay and loud. Boyishly handsome. Canadian. I have listened to some songs on youtube and became instantly addicted to his piano playing, head jerking and voice manouvering. It all felt like some long forgotten feeling that felt good, only you haven´t known you could have ever feel like this.
So there he was, coming on 25th March 2014 to Prague with his step sister Lucy Wainwright Roche. She was funny, hillarious on stage, and some of her songs were quite moving. But when Rufus entered the stage and sat behind the black piano, the air suddenly shifted and the energy changed. It was like watching some wild chimera, the very organic and raw, that keeps stunning over and over again. His voice sounded perfect, the timing and the lightness of it all only reverberating through the hall like the invisible cloud over our heads. I could see his face, always smiling, with nonchalant smirk and his eyes sparkling as he moved his fingers on the keyboard. The first song to open with was Grey gardens, my most favourite one. He popped his head from left to right as if he had it softly sown to his neck, without ever looking ridiculous. That was his trademark movement, and it worked. People were already accustomed to his fancy behaviour, so often called camp. I can´t describe the sound of his voice. It was like listening to the sweetest, most vibrant, and emotional tune I have heard. He kept amusing his audience by his comments about wearing not so cool jeans (ripped up on his tights), making remarks about his balls hanging out from the trousers he put on earlier on in a last attempt to look professional. The whole performance was amazing and full of surprises, for example when Lucy changed into Liza Minelli or one of the crew members came running onto stage looking like Rocky Balboa. Rufus played so many well known songs, I reckon all of which were from his latest album Vibrate. When he was about to finish, we weren´t having enough and wanted more. We gave him standing ovations and he threw about five more songs to make us happy. I waved at him and at one point I believe he waved back in my direction, as I was the only one who dared to. And of course, I yelled and screamed when I liked the song, which I did, most of the time. It was the most amazing concert I have ever been to. I love Rufus Wainwright, but to be able to recapture those special moments, I have to transcend into quite different world each time....because that´s what he does to you, when you listen to him. This is not your regular shallow music. This is a soul food that will keep you alive for as long as you breathe.
