Milwaukee at Last!!!

Milwaukee at Last!!!
Live album by Rufus Wainwright
Released	September 22, 2009 (US)
Recorded	August 27, 2007 at Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Genre	Pop
Label	Decca Records
Producer	Bradley Kaplan, Barry Taylor, Paula Quijano, George Scott
Rufus Wainwright chronology
Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall (2007) Milwaukee at Last!!! (2009) All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu (2010) Alternative cover Deluxe edition DVD DVD cover

Milwaukee at Last!!! is the seventh album (and second live album) by the Canadian-American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, released in the United States on September 22, 2009.^[1] The album consists of live recordings from his August 27, 2007 performance at Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in support of his previous studio album, Release the Stars (2007). Documentary film director Albert Maysles recorded a film of the same name for DVD release, also on September 22 in the US.^[2]

Development

Following Release the Stars, Wainwright embarked on a world tour which lasted from May 2007 to February 2008 and covered North American, Europe, Japan and Australia/New Zealand.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} Believing he found the right backing band, and that his voice was on a "solid plateau", Wainwright had the August 27, 2007 concert at the Pabst Theater recorded. Wainwright met documentarian Albert Maysles through their mutual friend Sean Lennon, and Maysles said he was "ready, willing and available" to assist with the project.^[10]

In a September 2009 interview, Wainwright stated the following when asked why the Milwaukee concert was recorded:

I'm in love with that theater, the Pabst Theater. It used to be the center of opera for the Midwest; it's this beautiful opera house in the middle of a cornfield. And I love midwestern audiences. They're so appreciative, and they're not so jaded, and they're real.^[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	73
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
The Buffalo News	[12]
MusicOMH	[13]
NME	[14]
Pitchfork Media	(7.2/10)[15]
PopMatters	[16]
The Scotsman	(positive)[17]
St. Petersburg Times	(positive)[18]

Overall, reception of the album was positive. Allmusic's Matt Collar wrote that Milwaukee at Last!!! was reminiscent of the "opera-esque aspirations" of Wainwright's previous studio album, Release the Stars, with the best material from that album being delivered in a "timely, dramatic fashion that makes for a well-paced listen". Collar complimented the album, stating it showcased Wainwright as a showman and a "deeply creative songwriter with a superb knack for live performance".^[1] In his review for the St. Petersburg Times, Sean Daly commended Wainwright's performance of "Release the Stars", claiming "he swoons like a besotted cabaret star on the eve of retirement".^[18] Gary Flockhart of The Scotsman called the album "slightly cheesy", but "brilliantly over-the-top" and "definitely another good album from the preening prima donna".^[17]

Pitchfork Media's Stephen Deusner claimed that the DVD is "the better way to experience Wainwright live", as visuals are crucial.^[15] Deusner calls the setlist featured in the film "more well-rounded and revealing", with less ponderous tracks like "Between My Legs", "Do I Disappoint You", and "The Art Teacher".

Track listing

All songs written by Wainwright, unless otherwise noted.

CD

1. "Release the Stars" – 5:54
2. "Going to a Town" – 4:13
3. "Sanssouci" – 5:49
4. "Rules and Regulations" – 4:10
5. "Leaving for Paris No. 2" – 6:04
6. "If Love Were All" (Noël Coward) – 2:26
7. "Nobody's Off the Hook" – 4:26
8. "Not Ready to Love" / "Slideshow" – 13:51
9. "Macushla" (Dermot MacMurrough, Josephine V. Rowe) – 3:51
10. "Gay Messiah" – 4:06

US iTunes bonus track

• "The Art Teacher" – 4:04

Amazon.com bonus track

• "I Don't Know What It Is" – 5:01

DVD

1. "Release the Stars"
2. "Going to a Town"
3. "Sanssouci"
4. "Rules and Regulations"
5. "Tulsa"
6. "The Art Teacher"
7. "Tiergarten"
8. "Leaving for Paris No. 2"
9. "Between My Legs"
10. "Do I Disappoint You?"
11. "A Foggy Day" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)
12. "If Love Were All" (Noël Coward)
13. "Nobody's Off the Hook"
14. "Beautiful Child"
15. "Not Ready to Love"
16. "Slideshow"
17. "Macushla" (Dermot MacMurrough, Josephine V. Rowe)
18. "14th Street"
19. "I Don't Know What It Is"
20. "Pretty Things"
21. "Complainte de la Butte" (Georges Van Parys, Jean Renoir)
22. "Get Happy" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler)
23. "Gay Messiah"

Personnel

Rufus Wainwright – vocals, piano, guitar, art direction C.J. Camerieri – trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals Rosemary Carroll Esq. – legal advisor Barbara Charone – publicity Jeff Hill – upright bass, electrical bass, backing vocals Matt Johnson – drums, bass, backing vocals Mycle Konopka – engineer Alex Lake – photography Gerry Leonard – guitar, backing vocals, music director Ali McMordie – tour manager Amy Merxbauer – A&R Evelyn Morgan – A&R

Laura Mueller – staff Julian Peploe – art direction Jack Petruzzelli – guitar, piano, banjo, bass, backing vocals Dave Phee – backline technician Tom Schick – mixing Louis Schwadron – French horn, backing vocals Ian Shea – assistant Ryan J-W Smith – mastering Barry Taylor – management Will Vinson – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, piano, recorder, backing vocals Michael Ways – engineer

Release history

Milwaukee at Last!!! was released in a CD format on September 7 in Canada, Denmark, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, on September 8 in Singapore and Spain, on September 11 in Germany, and on September 22 in Italy, Japan, and the United States. In the United States, the album was released digitally on September 8, with the DVD and deluxe CD/DVD combo also being released on September 22. In the United Kingdom, a deluxe box set was released as a "luxury fan edition" with the CD, DVD and four postcards.^[19]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Milwaukee at Last!!!". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1636907. Retrieved September 14, 2009. 
2. ^ Martin, Denise (September 20, 2009). "Rufus Wainwright creates his own Oz". Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-conversation20-2009sep20,0,537130.story. Retrieved September 21, 2009. 
3. ^ "Rufus At The Old Vic". rufuswainwright.com. March 27, 2007. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13536. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
4. ^ "Valentine's Day show at Radio City: Almost Sold Out!". rufuswainwright.com. February 7, 2008. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13606. Retrieved February 22, 2009. 
5. ^ "Rufus' US solo tour!". rufuswainwright.com. November 2, 2007. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13586. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
6. ^ "Rufus October UK Tour". rufuswainwright.com. June 25, 2007. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13556. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
7. ^ "Japan Dates Announced!". rufuswainwright.com. August 21, 2007. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13573. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
8. ^ "Watch out for Rufus in Spain!". rufuswainwright.com. September 6, 2007. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13579. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
9. ^ "Attention to all Rufus fans down under!". rufuswainwright.com. August 12, 2007. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=13567. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
10. ^ Huhn, Mary (October 1, 2009). "He makes Milwaukee famous". New York Post (News Corporation). http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/music/he_makes_milwaukee_famous_k9KBsf44XwuP0q9vSrUeaK. Retrieved October 1, 2009. 
11. ^ Murphy, Tim (September 29, 2009). "Rufus Wainwright on Albert Maysles, Porn, and His New Concert Movie". New York. http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/09/rufus_wainwright_on_albert_may.html. Retrieved October 1, 2009. 
12. ^ Miers, Jeff (September 20, 2009). "Listening Post /Brief reviews of select releases". The Buffalo News (Berkshire Hathaway). http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainment/story/801289.html. Retrieved September 21, 2009. 
13. ^ Murphy, John (2009). "Rufus Wainwright - Milwaukee At Last!!!". MusicOMH. http://www.musicomh.com/albums/rufus-wainwright-5_0909.htm. Retrieved November 7, 2009. 
14. ^ Elan, Priya (August 27, 2009). "Album review: Rufus Wainwright - 'Milwaukee At Last!!!' (Decca)". NME. IPC Media. http://www.nme.com/reviews/rufus-wainwright/10849. Retrieved September 29, 2009. 
15. ^ ^{a b} Deusner, Stephen (October 1, 2009). "Album Reviews - Rufus Wainwright - Milwaukee at Last!!!". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13517-milwaukee-at-last/. Retrieved October 1, 2009. 
16. ^ Lombardi, Anthony (September 30, 2009). "Rufus Wainwright: Milwaukee at Last!!!". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/112210-rufus-wainwright-milwaukee-at-last. Retrieved November 7, 2009. 
17. ^ ^{a b} Flockhart, Gary (September 11, 2009). "Album reviews: Juliette Lewis - Rufus Wainwright - Noah And The Whale - Jet - Beverley Knight". The Scotsman (Johnston Press). http://news.scotsman.com/reviews/Album-reviews-Juliette-Lewis-.5639424.jp. Retrieved September 21, 2009. 
18. ^ ^{a b} Daly, Sean (September 20, 2009). "Sean Daly's take? Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright is something special". St. Petersburg Times (Times Publishing Company). http://www.tampabay.com/features/sean-dalys-take-singer-songwriter-rufus-wainwright-is-something-special/1037352. Retrieved September 21, 2009. 
19. ^ "Milwaukee At Last!!! release dates". rufuswainwright.com. September 3, 2009. http://rufuswainwright.com/news/default.aspx?nid=22702. Retrieved September 14, 2009. 

External links

• Rufus Wainwright's official site