I love Stephen Holden, he is a great critic, and his review of Rufus Wainwright mentioned some things I didn’t and some things I couldn’t.
But seemed to miss the point all the same.
Here is Holden at his best: ” (Wainwright) knows how to make an entrance. Wearing a black floor-length gown with a matching fur collar and dark eye makeup, he was every inch the tragic diva as he gravely crossed the stage of Carnegie Hall on Monday evening. A prima donna and a sad clown rolled into one, this grand, androgynous mourner embodied the grieving central figure of Mr. Wainwright’s sixth studio album, “All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu,” released last spring.
And here is Holden at his worst: “Although Mr. Wainwright has one of the most ardent fan bases of any singer-songwriter, the audience response to “All Days Are Nights” was politely respectful.’. If memory serves, Rufus asked the audience not to clap.
Still, here is the review and if you compare it to mine you will the difference between music criticism and muic blogging: