Rufus Wainright’s Secret NYC Show Last Night: New Music! Celebs Galore! $20 Drinks!??

Last night, I somehow got invited to check out Rufus Wainwright’s secret showcase at the Rose Bar in the Gramercy Park Hotel here in NYC. The little room was packed! There were celebs galore (some I spotted, some I only read about this morning, as it was impossible to see everyone) and Rufus sidled up to a lovely grand piano, set in front of a the glowing fireplace in the center of the bar and proceeded to chatter dryly and amble through a set of songs from his forthcoming album, All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu, coming out April 20th.

The album features songs inspired some imagined antics of “Lulu” a flighty character who’s evidently based on the classic silent film actress Louise “Lulu” Brooks. And some songs, as Rufus explained, were about the two people most dear to him in the world — his boyfriend Jorn, and his sister Martha. And some songs are based on Shakespeare sonnets. A fun mix!

All in the all, the songs were gorgeous. Sweeping melodic piano and rhapsodic passages dominate, and lofty lyrics and just an epic orchestral vibe engulf the songs. They’re less poppy, more grandiose than Rufus’ previous works. And a bit like Philip Glass. Rufus began with “Who Are You New York?” and from then on, the audience was rapt.

Christian Siriano, Brad Walsh

One note: The Rose Bar charges a zillion dollars for cocktails. A vodka-soda cost $20!!! Eeeek! Anyway… Just had to vent. Oh, New York…

And here’s the celeb rundown; quite the turnout! Susan Sarandon and daughter Eva Amurri, Penn Badgely, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Scarlett Johansson, Zachary Quinto, Alan Cumming, Michael Kors, Lou Reed, designer Christian Siriano and his boyfriend, musician Brad Walsh; Wainwright’s father, Loudon Wainwright III and art-rocker Casey Spooner, looking super-dapper in a three-piece suit (coming directly from an auction at Christies!). And of course, media types from the NY Times, Interview Magazine, New York Magazine and on and on.

Susan Sarandon

Rufus will be touring the UK and Europe for much of April, May and June. Check out RufusWainwright.com for more info!