The Genius has left the country

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Originally uploaded by markus1000.

There are singers and singers. Yesterday at the Paradiso we witnessed over two hours of amazing talent. The New Yorker singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright performed for a completely overwhelmed audience.

He is not easy in the sense that his lyrics are rather complex, he goes from one style to another like a person who can not make his mind. He reminds me a bit of Italo Calvino who proves with his novel If On A Winter´s Night A Traveller that he can master nearly every style of fiction-writing that exists. Rufus Wainwright´s Want Two leaves the listener with slightly the same feeling when he goes from folk to opera and back.

Rufus´ concert was rather surprising all the way to the end. It started with Agnus Dei in Latin and ended with encores performed wearing only strings and striped socks or a bathrobe. I did not see that coming.

The best thing in him and his music is the fact that he is sincere and genuine. He talks about his family, love and homosexuality very openly. Worth listening whatever your preference is. In any issue. He has been often compared to Jeff Buckley if that tells something. I am ashamed to admit that it didn´t tell anything to me. For me the best thing is the sincerity. But as I was told in a meeting today:"Well, isn´t Wainwright a bit like Antony and the Johnsons of yesterday?" Well, black is the new black and Helsinki is the new Oslo that was the new Reykjavik. Or whatever.