This year has seen a lot of change for the Wainwrights. Rufus’ sister and show opener Martha had a baby last November. Their mother Kate McGarrigle passed away in January. Sometimes these types of life-altering events are the best fodder for creative expression. Martha is downright adorable, and when she brought out her husband, producer Brad Albetta, to accompany her on a tune, you could almost melt at how in tune they are. She sang in English and French and often let her subtle sense of humor escape, like when she compared her homemade art piece consisting of an open guitar case with strings thrown about to her older bro’s elaborate, beautiful backdrop of video art with multiple shots of a slowly blinking, dark eye (Rufus’ left one) drenched in mascara and black eye shadow (courtesy of artist Douglas Gordon).

When the lights went up for Rufus, he was seated at his piano, dressed all in black with shiny black feathers strewn around his neck and over his shoulders. Being in the presence of Rufus, listening to the Grammy nominated singer-songwriter perform his sixth studio album, All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu, was truly a sight to see.