Review: - I'm grateful to Todd Placid for this personal review.

Rufus Wainwright is an amazing talent. His stage presence decidedly undeveloped (and refreshingly uncorrupted), he exudes an odd sense of wise-beyond-years youthfulness that's almost painful. His lyrical strengths are remarkably cogent in imagery, ("clouds and stuff in hell," "cigarettes and chocolate milk," "...hang with the wolves who are sheepish, flow through the veins of town..." Writing about love affairs that haven't happened, acknowledging (in a low rumble) that they likely won't ever happen. He snorts, and moves on. This capacity for resilience encourages further travel in the dark, frightening pools of human experience. The spawn of celebrity, he's clearly on his own, starkly minimalist, (a potent playfulness in a cynical age) and confident in promise.
The Roxy Music original band and ensemble managed to far exceed my greatest expectations! (When was the last time I could say that about anything?) Drawing concert material from a huge catalog that spans not only years, but dramatically distinct periods of musical evolution had me a little worried. Would they settle on a smattering from everything, trying to please everyone? Would they cater to the American audiences (expecting "hits" like Love Is The Drug, Avalon, and other commercially popular recordings from the later years)? As it happened, they hurled an explosive performance harkening directly from the defining elements of their legend.
The musical arrangements are exceptionally solid, guitar, winds, keyboard, synthesizer and percussion boasting with strength. Bryan Ferry was in excellent voice, delivering both parsing phrase and impish riffs with deft precision. Guest female vocalists (mezzo-soprano and contralto) brought soaring generosity to the mix, rich, consistent and unflagging. The electric violin (Lucy Wilkins) in Out Of The Blue was punishing in beauty, drawing huge gasps of sheer astonishment and approval from the now hopelessly seduced crowd. Classic rock n roll (with brain cells), adorned in silk stockings, spiked heels, sequins and feathers, flashing each opus though the evening like plucked diamonds.
Among many, Street Life, Both Ends Burning, Remake/Remodel, Mother Of Pearl, In Every Dream Home A Heartache, Jealous Guy, Do The Strand, Editions Of You, and A Song For Europe were especially gratifying to hear live. Avalon was deliberately wistful; Love Is The Drug, naughty. The finish, For Your Pleasure, was deliciously classy, each member of the tribe fading from the stage in turn like ghosts into obscurity. A fallen satin curtain faintly hides the brooding reverberation rising from the cooling sound equipment and lights. Driving home, I recollect distant, unforgiving revelries, exquisite in their instance.
Sadness and joy are for a moment indistinguishable.?
Review: - I'm grateful to Brian Lapp for this personal review.

A storm was blowning in as they began, and thought Whirlwind would be an approriate opener. But, alas, they started from the where they started, with Remake/Remodel. The crowd seemed a little clueless in the beginning and seemed to sit rather listlessly for the first few songs, as if they were at an Opera, but considering it was a thirty or forty something crowd one cannot be surprised. Finally about the time the dancing girls came out for Both Ends Burning, the crowd stood to attention and seemed very entertained and entralled for the rest of the evening. A bit as if they had discovered jewels in the performance by these rather obscure but masterful musicians.
By the end Bryan could simply swirl his arm and the crowd would swoon. Speaking of swooning, the most touching part of the show was seeing women breaking down and crying during Song for Europe, I myself, though a man deeply devoted, included. It wasn't out of sadness, but sheer beauty overwhelming one's heart. It was a perfected performance with every musician on stage adding to the total majesty of grandiloquence to an unforgettable dream. It is true that though great emotion went into the art of Roxy Music over the years, which seemed to nearly drain them of their vitality, so deep and sorrowful their music can be, they have in the end cultivated a great and lasting happiness in their hearts, and in mine, and in every fan who has felt the greatest happiness and sorrows with Roxy Music playing in their stereo.
I never will lay down...while my heart is still beating...... I hope they never do.

Review: - I'm grateful to Jay Emersonfor this personal review.
Wow. I didn't think it could be this good. The DTE Energy Theater is about thirty-five miles north of Detroit, Michigan. It is an outdoor theatre with seating for 9,000 in the pavilion and a large hill in back where another 6,000 can sit on the grass and watch the show. It was almost full except for some space on both ends of the hill. Amazing, considering the summer's worst storm was brewing as Rufus played his set. The sky turned funky yellow in the north and charcoal black to the south. Big thunder and a spectacular lightning show entertained the crowd during the intermission. Then the rain started about ten minutes before Roxy took the stage. Plastic and umbrellas made for a wonderfully colored collage on the hill as people scrambled to stay dry. "Re-make/Re-model"started as the curtain vanished, and thankfully the corner curtains had been removed for this show so we had a great view of the band. (We were fifteenth row, left side.) The band sounded good but I could tell the rain had put a damper on their enthusiasm. Bryan didn't talk or smile before Street Life and I could see he was straining to see the soaking wet people up on the lawn between the songs. (Still dusk when the show started.) He looked like he felt their painand I think he did as the bass and percussion mix was lost halfway through Street Life, (did that sound weird!) but everything was back up for Ladytron. The crowd went crazy and I think this is the first time Bryan even noticed how much the audience was into the show. He finally broke into that familiar smiling face, white teeth sparkling.
Just as "Out of the Blue" started the rain began pelting the first thirty seats under the pavilion. It was raining diagonally and the wind was gusting through at forty knots. It was great. Everybody started dancing with the rain pelting their faces and Bryan went side to side of the stage, encouraging the crowd as Lucy wailed on her violin. The song ended and the crowd went ballistica five minute standing ovationand I swear to God the band looked surprised. (WAY different than the show in Toronto.) "A Song for Europe" (was so tight again,) kept the crowd on their feet, swaying, singing the French words perfectly even though most of crowd have no idea what they mean. Another thunderous ovation...and I know this may sound weirdbut I could feel the band begin to feed on the energy from the crowd. They didn't look tired anymore. "My Only Love" was good for Kareokee fodderbut then"In Every Dream-Home a Heartache." Fantastic to watch Bryan dance with a microphone when he's having a good time, isn't it? "Oh Yeah" had everybody singing againand then the go-go girls during "Both Ends Burning."
It seems the Detroit audience likes to participateit was hilarious. The entire pavilion seemed to follow the lead of the dancers through the fish and the swim and hold your nose and all the other disco moves the girls performed. Bryan came to the left side of the stage to watch the crowd and joined in the fun for a few seconds before returning to center stage to finish the song. The band was having a blast and I felt good for them. (I'm not sure if they'd had this kind of crowd or reception in North America yet.) "Tara" brought Bryan back the stage dressed in "Silver" this time, pants as well as jacketthen something we didn't expect The first notes of "Mother of Pearl" sent me leaping into the air, (others followed as they realizedit was) - and I don't know who to thank - but it was incredible. Note for note and tight - unbelievable- I'm thankful I got to see it one last time.
The rest of the concert was a succession of extended standing ovations. Phil actually cupping his eyes and looking into the crowd in disbelief several times. "Jealous Guy" was wonderful with Bryan performing an extended whistle solo, then thanking the crowd when the applause would not die down. The band members actually swung their instruments to their sides and applauded the audiencevery special. After "Editions of You," the band spent five minutes blowing kisses to the crowd before exiting the stage. The red-feathered show girls graced the stage for the first two encores. Bryan flung his hand over his head and did a short mamba with one of the girls during "Do the Strand"laughed our asses off. (He was having fun.) "For Your Pleasure," seemed the perfect send-off into the night. The rain had stopped and so had, "My Roxy Tour." But it was great - hope I don't have to wait another eighteen years.