On May 17th, 2012, Rufus Wainwright recorded a private concert in an historic Greenwich Village church.
On March 3rd, Wainwright’s inspired performance, which was filmed and recorded for PBS’ “Live from the Artists Den,” will be released digitally, on CD and Blu-ray video by Artists Den Records/Universal.
The 69-minute Rufus Wainwright: Live from the Artists Den concert release includes five songs that were not included in the broadcast, and the Blu-ray features an additional 50 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus material.
“Candles” is the closing song on Wainwright’s acclaimed 2012 album, Out of the Game, but it was the perfect a cappella opener for his “Live from the Artists Den” performance at the magnificent Church of the Ascension, on Manhattan’s lower Fifth Avenue. Built in 1841, the National Historic Landmark church was a breathtaking backdrop against which to hold a memorial for his late mother, singer Kate McGarrigle.
Resplendent in tails and gold sequined trousers, Wainwright performed 16 songs, paying tribute to Kate during the set with an emotional, solo piano rendition of her “On My Way to Town,” before bringing out super-producer Mark Ronson, who worked with Wainwright on Out of the Game. Wainwright and his band, with Ronson on guitar, close the show with the rousing, disco-flavoured “Bitter Tears.”
“I’ve found that the venue essentially dictates everything,” Wainwright says in the filmed program. “For someone who is pretty focused on the capabilities of the voice, as I am, churches are our friends.”
Rufus Wainwright makes his live return to the UK this Spring. He plays:
March
Mon 4th DUBLIN, Vicar Street
Tues 5th EDINBURGH, Usher Hall
April
Sun 6th LONDON, Theatre Royal
Sun 27th WARWICK, Warwick Arts Centre,
‘Rufus Wainwright: Live From The Artists Den’ Tracklisting:
1. Candles
2. Rashida
3. Song of You
4. Barbara
5. Welcome To The Ball
6. The One You Love
7. Respectable Dive
8. Jericho
9. Out of the Game
10. One Man Guy
11. Going to a Town
12. Montauk
13. 14th Street
14. The Art Teacher
15. On My Way to Town
16. Bitter Tears
www.rufuswainwright.com
