The sun is shining, c'mon get happy!

The sun was definitely shining last Thursday when I was queued up for the Rufus Wainwright concert over in lovely Cowlumbus, Ohio. 100F, people. And SULTRY, as my Grandma Bets was so fond of saying. I can't seem to organize my thoughts today, so it's bullet points, k?

• I was very pleased to discover that Rufus' voice is so strong and clear and beautiful. It's a unique instrument, and I wondered how he'd sound outside a recording studio, especially in an outdoor venue. The answer: marvelous. And he had a horn section. 'Nuf said.
  
• The set was taken heavily from his latest album, Release The Stars, which was fine by me as it's been the soundtrack of most of my summer. The highlight for me was Between My Legs, but that was tempered by the realization that I totally should have submitted a YouTube video to audition for the spoken word portion of that song. The blonde/bland girl that won was OK, but nowhere near as theatrical as was called for. If RW is coming to your town, send a video in and show folks how it should be done, homos.
  
• After a brief intermission, Rufus came back out in lederhosen. Yay! He did a series of songs which he connected with some anecdotes, forming a "European" set. But the encores, pets, oh, the encores! When my man came out in a fluffy, white robe to do a song with the band and then a few solo at the piano, I felt the night was complete. So, so wrong.
  
• Picture it. Rufus, still in his white robe, sits on a chair at center stage. The lights go out but for a spotlight on him. The band noodles around in the dark while he reaches into a bag to put on a sparkly ring. Then matching earrings. Then red lipstick. Then black pumps. He stands and turns. The spotlight goes off. He drops the robe, and when the lights come up, he's JUDY. This Judy, all longs legs and stockings. It's kind of a blur after that. I think I may have passed out for a few seconds, but I do remember him launching into C'mon Get Happy, and I did. I forgot my troubles and I got happy, y'all. Best encore I've seen in forever. Maybe it was the stockings and heels, but brother's got some stems.