Reverb: Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Cowboy Curse

Reverb: Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Cowboy Curse
by John Wenzel on August 8, 2007

And he ain’t bad lookin’, neither.

- RUFUS WAINWRIGHT -

Supporting his new album �Release the Stars� with elegance, thoroughness and panache, Rufus Wainwright played a note- perfect concert Tuesday at the Fillmore that reminded the crowd of his immense live performance prowess.

Wainwright is a subtle madman, and whether he was laying into the lush �Slideshow� or sending up some hammy musical theater number (wearing lipstick, earrings and a minidress, no less), Wainwright and his inimitable voice ruled the small crowd from the stark start to the extravagant end…

Wainwright must have played at least 10 of the 12 songs on his new album, and the heavy focus on new material was never a disappointment. �Release the Stars� is a triumph and a fitting keepsake of Wainwright�s undeniably entertaining stage show.

-Ricardo Baca

Is Lucinda losing her shizz? Maybe you can tell from this frightening picture.

- LUCINDA WILLIAMS -

One alarming question circulated throughout the crowd as dusk settled in at Red Rocks on Aug. 3: Why is Lucinda Williams reading all of her lyrics from a notebook?

Williams, often called one of her generation�s greatest songwriters for her introspective poetry, appeared to be reading every single word from a notebook perched on a music stand as the singer meandered through an extremely sleepy set at Red Rocks. Between songs, a stagehand would appear beside her, flipping pages furiously. And Williams � her face projected onto the giant screen off stage left � had her eyes glued to the book throughout her entire woozy set.

Williams resembled a modern-age Brian Wilson as she stumbled through her own music, sometimes sounding as if she was reading the words for the first time. It was both sad and alarming, but it also went along with her latest album, �West,� a bland CD that makes it sound like Lucinda is losing her unique touch with the music and the words.

-Ricardo Baca

Where’s your friends at, dude? Bring ‘em to the show!

- LITTLES PAIA -

It�s a cruel joke when an excellent band plays to less than half a dozen people, but it�s also a punchline many touring musicians are used to. Part of the blame can be placed on the opening bands, which fail to rally supporters to show up, then fail to stick around for the headliner�s set.

That was the case Thursday at the Hi-Dive for the Caribbean�s inaugural Denver show, but at least openers Homeland and Littles Paia were weird enough to hold the attention of those there. Both openers were solo acts, the latter a fuzzy, lo-fi guitar/kick-drum setup.

Like the ramshackle songs of Pee Pee, Adam Baumeister�s smoky, half-lidded melodies struck a buzzing indie-folk chord. If only it could have resonated with more people.

-John Wenzel

“Cowboy Bless” just didn’t have the same ring.

- COWBOY CURSE -

It�s rare to see locals Cowboy Curse, Bright Channel or the Hot IQs on any bill � let alone the same bill � but there they were, back to back to back at the Larimer Lounge barbecue on Sunday.

All the bands played sprightly sets, but Cowboy Curse played a particularly exciting, furious collection of songs that transformed its sardonic indie pop into a sugar- coated apartment fire of harried punk rock.

What was once ruled by melody had been commandeered by singer-guitarist Ben Bergstrand, who hammered and shouted his way through the sweaty set with the reckless abandon of the muggy rainstorm beating the pavement outside. Bassist Tyler Campo held down his trademark falsetto harmonies � even though he wasn�t necessarily harmonizing with anybody � and it made for a unique collision, the place where Campo�s clean vocals met Bergstrand�s measured fury.

-Ricardo Baca