Rufus Wainwright @ Prospect Park (more by David Andrako)

Despite the addition of Rufus Wainwright to the bill, and stellar past shows, tickets are amazingly still on sale for Doveman's show at LPR tonight (5/26). The Goastt, aka Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, were recently added to the show too. There's always surprise guests (like Justin Bond) and an all-star backing band too.

Rufus was also just added to another show too, one that also still has tickets on sale, and one that now boasts an extremely impressive lineup of gay icons. Rufus Wainwright, Justin Bond AND Liza Minelli (!) were all added as special guests to the Sandra Bernhard show happening June 8 at Town Hall. The date will be the world premiere of Sandra's new show "I LOVE BEING ME, DON'T YOU?" The poster confirming this info is below.

Speaking of Rufus (and Justin) at Town Hall, he and Martha just played the venue two nights in a row in honor of their mother with Justin Bond, Norah Jones, Antony Hegarty, Emmylou Harris, Teddy Thompson, Jimmy Fallon, and others. Rolling Stone was there the first night:

Although the three-hour concert was billed as "A Celebration of Kate McGarrigle," the prevailing mood was naturally somber. McGarrigle wrote and sang heartrendingly personal songs throughout most of her life; hearing them now that she's gone was emotional, to say the least. Performers and audience members alike could be seen tearing up during highlights like "I Eat Dinner (When The Hunger's Gone)" (a sweet duet between Harris and Thompson), "Go Leave" (a deeply felt rendition by Hegarty), "(Talk to Me Of) Mendocino" (sung by both Wainwright siblings with Jones), "Tell My Sister" (a wonderfully torchy performance by Martha Wainwright) and most of all "Proserpina" - the last song Kate McGarrigle wrote before her death, a sad, lovely, honest tune that brought nearly everyone back on stage to close the night's first set.

Rufus has his own show coming up, a free one where he'll be performing excerpts of his opera, in NYC in June. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright (and Liza Minelli!) will join Sandra Bernhard @ Town Hall (where he recently played 2 nights for Kate)"

On May 12 and 13, Rufus and Martha, along with their aunt Anna McGarrigle will host A Celebration of the Music of Kate McGarrigle, a pair of tribute shows to be held for their late mother at New York City's Town Hall. These shows will feature performances by Rufus and Martha, as well Anna McGarrigle, Jimmy Fallon, Emmylou Harris, Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons), Krystle Warren, Teddy Thompson, Justin Bond, Jenni Muldaur, Sloan Wainwright and more. Tickets for both shows are onsale now at Ticketmaster.com.

All profits from these events will go to the Sarcoma Foundation of America. Rufus and Martha were recently named as the 2011 spokespersons for the Sarcoma Foundation of America. Kate McGarrigle passed away from Sarcoma in January 2010.

Rufus will also be on hand at two upcoming book signings in LA and NYC: "Photographer Tim Hailand has just released One Day in the Life of Rufus Wainwright, a new collection of images offering an intimate glimpse into Rufus' personal life. To celebrate the release of the new book, Rufus and Tim will appear at the New York and Los Angeles locations of BookMarc, on March 3 and March 10 respectively, for a pair of book signing sessions."

Teddy Thompson has many other shows and a tour coming up.

Justin Bond played Doveman's last Salon, and Martha Wainwright plays the next one.

When inevitably I read today in the papers that my mother lost her battle with cancer last night, I am filled with an immense desire to add that this battle, though lost, was tremendously fruitful during these last three and a half years of her life. She witnessed her daughter's marriage, the creation of my first opera, the birth of her first grandchild Arcangelo, and gave the greatest performance of her life to a packed crowd at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Not to mention traveling to some of the world's most incredible places with both my sister, her husband Brad, my boyfriend Jorn and myself. Yes, it was all too brief, but as I was saying to her sister Anna last night while sitting by her body after the struggle had ceased, there is never enough time and she, my amazing mother with whom everyone fell in love, went out there and bloody did it. I will miss you mother, my sweet and valiant explorer, lebwohl and adio. X

---

In 2008, Kate established the Kate McGarrigle Fund in association with McGill University Health Centre, the Jewish General Hospital through the MUHC Foundation, the Cedars Cancer Institute, and Cancer Research UK in order to raise money and awareness for the fight against this rare type of cancer. If you would like to make a donation in honour of Kate, please follow this link below and donate online or call the MUHC Foundation directly at +1-514-931-5656.

Kate McGarrigle in NYC - 9/16/08 (more by Chris La Putt)

Internationally acclaimed folk singer Kate McGarrigle, best known for performing with her sister Anna, has died of cancer. She was 63.

McGarrigle's brother-in-law, Dane Lanken, said the singer died at her Montreal home Monday night surrounded by her sisters, Jane and Anna, and her children, Rufus and Martha Wainwright.

He said McGarrigle had been battling cancer since the summer of 2006. The cancer started in her small intestine and spread to her liver, he said.

Kate and Anna, known as the McGarrigle Sisters, began their careers performing at Montreal coffeehouses in the 1960s with a group called the Mountain City Four. They got their break in the 1970s, when their songs were covered by numerous artists, including Linda Ronstadt, who used "Heart Like a Wheel" as the title song to one of her albums.

In 1975 they made their first record, "Kate and Anna McGarrigle," which brought them critical acclaim and additional famous covers by artists including Emmylou Harris, Judy Collins and Billy Bragg. [Canadian Press]

So sad. Rest in peace Kate.

Rufus cancelled an upcoming tour due to an illness in the family a few days ago. Those overseas dates are below.

Kate recently performed with the whole family at the "A Not So Silent Night" show (the annual Wainwright/McGarrigle Christmas celebration) at Royal Albert Hall in the UK on December 9th. Videos from that show, and many others, below...

Continue reading "Kate McGarrigle, RIP "

photos by Tim Griffin

"One of the most important voices of the last decade, Rufus Wainwright is spearheading a grassroots energy conservation initiative to help save the planet and its environment. Wainwright is suggesting that people turn off all electricity and refrain from all energy expending activities that could harm the environment for twelve hours on June 21, 2009 (noon to midnight). He's dubbed the no energy day Blackoutsabbath.

To raise awareness for Blackoutsabbath, a concert billed as Rufus Wainwright, Family and Friends will take place on March 4th at City Winery on Varick St. in New York City. The show will be staged and performed completely without electricity. Scheduled to appeared to appear with Wainwright for this second annual event will be Teddy Thompson, Jenni Muldaur, Lucy Wainwright Roche and Sloan Wainwright with others to be announced.

Blackoutsabbath was partially inspired by Rufus' love of New York's blackout of 2003 which Wainwright says he found, "incredibly invigorating, spiritual and practical at the same time: we all had to pay attention to each other!" He also feels action must be taken. "Basically, all the money in the world can't really solve this problem. In fact, I think it only makes things worse. It has to be a grassroots movement!"

Tickets for the March 4th concert will be available starting Tuesday February 10th at 10 am EST at www.citywinery.com/events"

Last year's Blackoutsabbath concert took place at Angel Orensanz on the Lower East Side. You can see what this year's venue looks like from the set of pictures we took when Steve Earle played there. Speaking of Steve Earle, his latest NYC show was at Carnegie Hall this week.

Speaking of Carnegie Hall, Rufus, Teddy Thompson and Sloan Wainwright last played together in NYC on December 10th at that very venue. It was the annual McGarrigle Christmas Hour, and Emmylou Harris, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Jimmy Fallon, Linda Thompson, Kami Thompson, Justin Bond, and Sloan Wainwright were there too.

Yet another long lost photo set continues, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Rufus Wainwright's 2009 Blackoutsabbath concert details, pics from the 2008 McGarrigle Christmas Hour, other dates"

The McGarrigle Christmas Hour featuring Rufus and his sister, Martha Wainwright, will be held at Carnegie Hall on December 10, 2008 and there will be some very special guests. Kate and Anna McGarrigle are thrilled to welcome Emmylou Harris, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Jimmy Fallon, Teddy, Linda, and Kami Thompson, Justin Bond, Sloan Wainwright and more! It will be a fun and festive evening with a few surprise guests stopping by.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Wednesday, November 5th at 11am EST, but Rufus fans can start purchasing tickets Monday, November 3rd at 11am EST! Get your pre-sale tickets online at The Carnegie Hall Website or by calling the Carnegie Hall box office at (212) 247-7800.

A limited number of VIP packages are available by making a donation to the Kate McGarrigle Fund. These packages include premium seats, a very special opportunity to meet the performers after the show, a chance to attend an intimate taping, and wonderful gift bags. The Kate McGarrigle Fund is a not-for-profit partner of the McGill University Health Centre Foundation and the Cedars Cancer Institute, supporting cancer care and research in Montreal, Canada. For more information and VIP packages, go HERE or call toll-free, 1-877-601-4536

Rufus also has a show coming up in Montclair. The big Christmas flyer (for the show that is an annual tradition) is below...

Continue reading "2008 McGarrigle Christmas Hour w/ Rufus, Martha, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Emmylou Harris & many more"

photos by Chris La Putt

Thomas Bartlett (Doveman)

Martha Wainwright

Martha Wainwright played Spiegelworld's Spiegeltent in NYC near the South Street Seaport last night (Sept 16). As usual, she was joined on stage by a cast of talented musicians - some friends, some relatives. Unlike usual, this show, entitled "Martha Wainwright sings Edith Piaf", was heavy on the Piaf covers. She said it was a rehearsal of sorts for a future recording. The setlist also included "Dis quand reviendras-tu?" by Barbara, a French folk song sung by Kate & Anna McGarrigle, and a Josephine Baker song performed by Rufus. More pictures and the setlist below...

Continue reading "Martha Wainwright sang Edith Piaf @ Spiegeltent w/ Rufus, Doveman, Kate & Anna too - pics, setlist"

words & photos by Chris La Putt

Martha Wainwright

Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) on keys & Kate Mcgarrigle (Martha's mom)

Rufus Wainwright (Martha's brother)

Last night's show at the Highline Ballroom (July 23, 2008) had the flair of drag queen drama as Justin Bond, of Kiki and Herb fame (she's Kiki), performed a number of jazzy songs written by transvestite singers she's met along the way. Bond cooed in to the mic as he was backed by Doveman's Thomas Bartlett on piano/keyboard and a rather shiny and scantily clad guitarist.

Continuing on with the theme of sorrow and despair, Martha sang "I Wish I Were" with the simplicity and anguish of a broken heart. Slowly strumming her guitar and alone onstage with a powerful voice, she knew she had the crowd wrapped around her fingers. "I Wish I Were" is the first single of her new album that was just released a month ago. It was Doveman's last night performing with the band that also includes Living Room regular/guitarist extraordinaire Jim Campilongo, and Martha's husband Brad Albetta on bass. And speaking of family, the highlight of the evening was when Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle (i.e. Martha's mother) and Rufus (Martha's big brother) sang an encore with Martha. Ms. Wainwright ended the night with crowd favorite, "Stormy Weather." More pics below...

Continue reading "Martha Wainwright (& Rufus, Kate McGarrigle, Doveman, Jim Campilongo & Justin Bond) @ Highline Ballroom, NYC - pics"

Rufus Wainwright @ Radio City Music Hall, NYC - Feb 14, 2008 (CRED)

Rufus Wainwright has announced an intimate performance in New York City to benefit blackoutsabbath, a new energy conservation initiative that he will spearhead.

Tickets for the show at Angel Orensanz on the Lower East Side are on sale.