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Rock/Pop

Rufus Wainwright Tickets

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About

Rufus Wainwright, born in New York although holding both American and Canadian citizenship, is a singer, pianist, songwriter and composer. His music brings together many and varied genres including, pop, opera, baroque, rock, classical and ragtime into a unique style. He cites a wide variety of musical influences such as Judy Garland, Edith Piaf and Al Jolson, along with his many operatic favourites. As well as writing commercial pop music, Wainwright has also written operas and much music for soundtracks.

So far in his career, Rufus Wainwright has released 10 albums between 1998 and 2012. The debut album in 1998 was simply titled Rufus Wainwright. While this first album was met with great critical acclaim it did not gain any corresponding commercial success. Rolling Stone magazine hailed Wainwright as the Best New Artist that year citing this album as one of the best of 1998. The album also won several awards from the Gay & Lesbian American Music Awards and a GLAAD Media Award. The nine albums which followed were: Poses in 2001, Want One in 2003, Want Two in 2004, Release the Stars and Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall both in 2007, Milwaukee at Last!!! in 2009, All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu in 2010, House of Rufus in 2011 and Out of the Game in 2012.

As with the first album, many of Wainwright’s subsequent albums were met with much critical acclaim but little commercial success, especially in the US. However, by the release of the fifth album, Release the Stars in 2007, Wainwright was finding a fanbase in the UK and Ireland and this album reached number two in the UK album charts. By 2009, Wainwright’s music was standing the test of time and settling into many top album lists with one such accolade coming from the NME, which ranked Poses as number 52 when compiling their Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade. As soon as Wainwright started releasing records he started winning awards and over his career he has won 10 major awards.

Wainwright has collaborated and toured with many different artists, musicians and producers. His fifth album included performances with his sister and his mother Martha Wainwright and Kate McGarrigle, Richard Thompson, Neil Tennant, Julianna Raye, Joan Wasser, and Toby Dammit. He has toured with Sting, Guster, Ben Folds and Tori Amos as well as headlining his own tours. For his seventh album Wainwright teamed up with popular dance and pop producer Mark Ronson to generate a more accessible musical format without compromising his distinctive style - the result was Out of the Game.

Setlists

    1. 1.Grey Gardens
    2. 2.The Art Teacher
    3. 3.Sanssouci
    4. 4.Poses
    5. 5.Gay Messiah
    6. 6.Want
    7. 7.Old Song
    8. 8.Early Morning Madness
    9. 9.Going to a Town
    1. 1.Grey Gardens
    2. 2.Vibrate
    3. 3.Surabaya Johnny (Kurt Weill cover)
    4. 4.Sanssouci
    5. 5.In My Arms
    6. 6.The Art Teacher
    7. 7.Old Song
    8. 8.Early Morning Madness
    9. 9.Gay Messiah
    10. 10.Want
    11. 11.La complainte de la butte (Jean Renoir cover)
    12. 12.Poses
    13. 13.Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
    14. 14.Going to a Town (false start) (Fall start to clarify that he ‘doesn’t hate’ but is ‘tired’ of America)
    15. 15.Going to a Town
    16. 16.Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)
    1. 1.Across the Universe (The Beatles cover) (With Baby Alpaca (last song of BA 20 minutes))
    2. 2.Grey Gardens
    3. 3.Vibrate
    4. 4.Surabaya Johnny (Kurt Weill cover)
    5. 5.The Art Teacher
    6. 6.Sanssouci
    7. 7.Old Song / Early Morning Madness
    8. 8.Gay Messiah
    9. 9.In My Arms
    10. 10.Peaceful Afternoon
    11. 11.La complainte de la butte (Jean Renoir cover)
    12. 12.Poses (Thanks City Winery and the Boston audience.)
    13. 13.Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
    14. 14.Going to a Town
    15. 15.Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)
    1. 1.Grey Gardens (2 false starts to adjust stage monitors that were too loud)
    2. 2.Vibrate
    3. 3.Surabaya Johnny (Kurt Weill cover)
    4. 4.Sanssouci
    5. 5.In My Arms
    6. 6.The Art Teacher
    7. 7.Old Song / Early Morning Madness
    8. 8.Gay Messiah (Introduced by talking about how the view of the song has changed during different presidencies.)
    9. 9.Want
    10. 10.Peaceful Afternoon
    11. 11.Montauk
    12. 12.Poses (False start/abrupt pause talking about the insanity of Trump’s ballroom during a govt shutdown.)
    13. 13.Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
  1. Encore

    1. 14.Going to a Town
    2. 15.Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)
    1. 1.Grey Gardens
    2. 2.Vibrate
    3. 3.Surabaya Johnny (Kurt Weill cover) (Live debut)
    4. 4.Sanssouci
    5. 5.In My Arms
    6. 6.The Art Teacher
    7. 7.Old Song / Early Morning Madness
    8. 8.Gay Messiah
    9. 9.Want
    10. 10.Peaceful Afternoon
    11. 11.Montauk
    12. 12.Poses
    13. 13.Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
  1. Encore

    1. 14.Going to a Town
    2. 15.Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)

Reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 5 reviews
  • Fabulous

    by Jmac on 28/09/2025O2 Apollo Manchester - ManchesterRating: 5 out of 5

    Amazing show! RW with the orchestra was absolutely stunning. One of the most beautiful things I've ever heard!

  • Superlative performance

    by Eamonn on 27/09/2025O2 Apollo Manchester - ManchesterRating: 5 out of 5

    The venue is looking a bit tired and worn. The performance however was the polar opposite. What a voice Rufus has. When combined with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra it was surreal. Absolutely fantastic. Sound quality in the venue was amazing.

  • Majestic

    by Baju 28 on 27/09/2025O2 Apollo Manchester - ManchesterRating: 5 out of 5

    A wonderful evening being entertained by the soulful, magnificent and unique voice of Rufus Wainwright. His songs were given a new lease of life under the beautiful arrangement of the BBC Philharmonic. Such an enjoyable, memorable event. Thank you Rufus and the BBC Phil!!

  • Eden Court Rufus Wainwright

    by Irene McF on 23/06/2024Rating: 5 out of 5

    Last night first at Eden Court lovely venue to see Rufus and guests doing acoustic set. All in fine voice. Decided to go after brilliant night in Glasgow Royal Concert hall earlier this year when his support was RSNO. Discovered new act his support Alice Faye will be watching out for her solo shows in future. As for duets with local girl Ms Kelly hairs standing on back of our necks. Great night thank you Rufus.

  • Fab evening.

    by Chris on 22/06/2024Rating: 5 out of 5

    Lovely venue, Perth Concert Hall. Excellent & numerous staff. You are able to take drinks to your seat👍 A very interesting solo acoustic set by Rufus Wainwright - first time seeing him - had been encouraged to go by friend who saw him in Glasgow. This was not the 'showmanship' I was expecting, this was a very different type of set, individual, personal and sung with emotion.