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.

Martha Wainwright singing Edith Piaf @ Spiegeltent (more by Chris La Putt)

Martha Wainwright has sung the songs of Edith Piaf in the past, and she'll do it again for three shows on Sunday, June 14th and Monday, June 15th at Dixon Place Theater (161 Chrystie St). Tickets are still on sale for the Monday 10pm show.

She'll be recording the sets with producer Hal Willner for a live record; her band will include electric guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Doug Wieselman, bassist Brad Albetta and pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman - who's got his own show Thurday, June 18th at Le Poisson Rouge with Sam Amidon and members of the National).

Just a few days later, on Wednesday, June 17th, some other Wainwrights (Loudon Wainwright III, Sloan Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche) will perform a free "Wainwright Family Concert" at the Madison Square Park Oval. Martha and Rufus are not on that bill, but they are playing the "Not So Silent Night" show set for December at London's Royal Albert Hall with the McGarrigle side of their family (Martha + Rufus = children of Louden + Kate McGarrigle). Tickets are on sale. Poster below.

Martha will also play two free outdoor NYC shows of her own this summer. She's appearing at part of the Tribute to Sly and the Family Stone at Castle Clinton on Thursday, July 16th. Then on August 14th and 15th, she'll play Central Park Summerstage with Morphoses and the Wheeldon Company. That night is billed as...

A very special evening of dance and music that will feature a world premiere by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, set to new music by Martha Wainwright, both commissioned by City Parks Foundation.

Finally, out in Long Island near the end of the summer Martha will play the The Watermill Center in Watermill, NY on August 29th with brother Rufus and Norah Jones, who'll sing together for the first time. Martha will play songs from her Edith Piaf project. Tickets are on sale.

Videos of Martha doing her Edith Piaf thing, with all tour dates and "A Not So Silent Night" poster, below...

Continue reading "Martha Wainwright - 3 Edith Piaf shows, Castle Clinton, Summerstage, Watermill & other 2009 tour dates "

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"

The "McGarrigles Christmas Tour" that included shows in Montreal, Philadelphia, Toronto, LA and Seattle has been cancelled due to "an unexpected illness in the family", but the NYC show at Carnegie Hall on December 13th is still happening. It's been renamed "The Wainwright Family & Friends Christmas", includes Rufus and Martha, and tickets are on sale

Rufus is also doing the Judy Garland show again - this time in London and France. Tickets, which are probably already sold out, are available from links on his website.

Previously
A McGarrigle Christmas | Rufus Wainwright, Emmylou Harris | CD/Tix
3 NYC nights of Rufus Wainwright | Reports

THE CD: "Kate and Anna McGarrigle don't record together all that often anymore, but when they do, they tend to make an event of the occasion. Like the pair's 1998 album The McGarrigle Hour, The McGarrigle Christmas Hour ropes in pals like Emmylou Harris and Beth Orton, plus family members, including Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Kate's children with Loudon Wainwright III. The theme, naturally, is Christmas, and the McGarrigles offer multiple takes on the subject...." [The Onion AV Club]

THE CONCERT: "Celebrating family and friends at the holidays, Kate and Anna McGarrigle perform A McGarrigle Christmas on Wednesday, December 21 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium. Joined by special guests Emmylou Harris, Kate’s children Martha Wainwright and Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, and other guests to be announced, the concert features traditional and contemporary holiday songs from the new album..." [Carnegie Hall]

Previously
3 NYC nights of Rufus Wainwright | Reports