Rufus Wainwright Joins Sister, Father For Highline Ballroom Concert 9/15

On September 15, Loudon Wainwright III will perform a unique concert at the Highline Ballrom highlighting tracks from his new double-album, 'High Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project' (Aug 18 / 2nd Story Sound Records). Loudon will be joined by the wonderful singers Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Maggie Roche, Terre Roche, Suzzy Roche, and Dave Roche. The band includes Paul Asaro (piano), Greg Cohen (bass), Erik Friedlander (cello), Rob Moose (violin, mandolin, guitar), Chaim Tannenbaum (banjo, harmonica), and producer Dick Connette (harmonium). The concert will mark the only live performance of the album material with the musicians who recorded it. It's an extraordinarily special occasion, as Loudon has never before mounted a show that featured his family and friends so extensively.

On 'High Wide and Handsome,' Wainwright, together with producer and collaborator Dick Connette, explores the life and times of country music pioneer Charlie Poole. Combining original music inspired by Poole and interpretations of old-time tunes from the venerated raconteur's canon, Wainwright vividly brings the legendary North Carolina Ramblers' bandleader and notorious bootlegger back to life. As renowned music critic Greil Marcus puts it in the liner notes, "Poole might have been waiting all these years for someone to talk back to him so completely in his own language."

As Loudon, himself, puts it, "The themes of Poole's music also happen to be some of my favorites when it comes to writing my own songs - mother, booze, general nonsensicality, and death to name a few. Plus, the story of Poole's life, the chaos and fun of rambling around playing music and the ensuing and inevitable fall out with wives, kids, to say nothing of the damaging effect upon one's physical health - these are subjects I've tackled in song and, of course, in my own life .The Road is a toll road and you pay the price. But let's not get too morbid. There's real joy, feeling, and warmth in Charlie Poole's music. He knocks me out."

The Highline Ballroom is located at 431 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011 (between 9th and 10th Ave)

The concert performs September 15 Concert starts at 8pm. Doors for the event open at 6pm.

Tickets are $40.00 in advance, $45.00 on the day of the show.

For more information, and to purchase tickets, call (212) 414-5994 or visit www.highlineballroom.com.

Rufus Wainwright is one of the most interesting singer/songwriters of his generation. Rolling Stone called his 1998 debut one of the Best Albums of the Year, and named him Best New Artist of the Year. He has recorded five albums of original music, several EPs, and contributed to numerous soundtracks (Brokeback Mountain, Moulin Rouge, Shrek) and compilations (Live at the World Café). His latest, Release the Stars, debuted at #23 and went Gold. He has toured with Tori Amos, Sting, Ben Folds, and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour. The Metropolitan Opera has commissioned him to write an opera. In 2006 he sold out Carnegie Hall twice, performing the entire Judy Garland concert album recorded there in 1961. His music, described as "popera" and "baroque pop," often features just his beautiful tenor with piano or guitar (he plays both), but increasing employs full rock band instrumentation as well as symphony orchestra to deal with themes like love and unrequited love ("This Love Affair"), family ("Dinner at Eight"), religion ("Agnus Dei," "Gay Messiah"), distant places ("Sanssouci") substance abuse ("Go Or Go Ahead") school ("Millbrook") and celebrity and its consequences ("Matinee Idol").

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