Rufus Report

Well, HighTouch and I made it up the hill and back down successfully, thanks to her expert driving.
Now, for the report.
Yesterday, I was feeling glad that we hadn't had tickets for months, because then I might have had such a build up of anticipation that the show couldn't live up to that. Post-show, I'm not sure. I don't think I could possibly, in this incarnation, have been disappointed. First, it was Rufus!!
He has an amazing stage presence and charisma. It was just him on stage with a piano and a few different guitars. And the audience was silent, waiting for him to speak and sing. He had our full attention.
The minute he walked out, I got chills. A kind of musical-anticipation chills. I got a little teary. He started with "Grey Gardens." He sang a few things from the new album which I don't have, but they were lovely. For a full set list, see Hightouch. I especially liked "Going to a Town" which had the refrain "I'm so tired of America." Very touching.
He did a little piano segue between something (I've forgotten) and "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" which is one of my favorites. He stretched it out and it was his fake ending. We all stood and cheered. I stood there thinking, he has to come out and do something amazing. I want to be floored.
And then he came out and sang "The Art Teacher," which is amazing. But then he started playing "Hallelujah" and talking about Leonard Cohen and the movie "I'm Your Man" in which he sings that song, and how he had been in Park City for Sundance when the movie premiered. The minute he started playing it on the piano I started crying, and I pretty much cried through the whole thing. I knew I would! But it did floor me. It was perfect and devastating. I had tears poring off my chin. It was so touching. I feel very lucky to have seen him perform. He's truly gifted. It was just him up there with the piano and his guitars. He has an awesome voice, he's a talented songwriter, arranger, and lyricists.
He was great and funny.
I feel blessed to have been there. It's one for the books.

Wants and Needs

I am happy to report that by some convergence of Fate and Hightouchmegastore's credit card, we are going to see Rufus Wainwright tomorrow night!!!!!! (I think that deserves infinite exclamation points, but we'll settle for six).
My needs and wants for the evening are few, but important.
I want:
RW to sing "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" and "One Man Guy." If he can manage it "Hallelujah" would be great too.
Maybe some chocolate while he's singing?
I want to feel chills.
If I cry, it will be the second public arts performance that I have attended with Hightouch that I cried at. I'm just saying it so that if it happens, no one will be shocked. It might happen. It probably could happen.
I am grateful to my friend whom I had plans with for not saying that I was sort of crazy for canceling dinner plans to go see Rufus. I mean, he's Rufus. I would probably have flown somewhere to see him, like Chicago? Or New York?
I'm also grateful to Hightouch for driving up the hill.
I'm feeling a little jittery and nervous. I haven't been this excited since...I saw Journey in ninth grade?
No, since I saw...James Taylor at Tanglewood (just FYI, he's playing there this summer too).

P.S. I deleted "Client Nine" because I sent it out. But if you want to read it, let me know and I'll email it to you.