Rufus Wainwright, Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, Sun

11:43am Tuesday 26th June 2007

Not many people can carry off a pair of lederhosen and not look like they're from a badly dubbed porn film.

But when he wore the traditional German garb for the second half of his Brighton show, Rufus Wainwright looked like he had been born wearing them.

It wasn't the only surprise from his two-act set, which focused mainly on his new album, Release The Stars.

He opened the show with the album's title track, dressed in a stripey suit adorned with brooches, which he confessed made him look like Dame Edna.

It was all by design of course, as the stripes and brooches matched the backdrop - a sparkly version of the American flag, which took on extra resonance when he sang of being "tired of America" in Going To A Town.

The night showcased the big sound of his seven-piece band, which took new songs such as Rules And Regulations, the caterwaul of Do I Disappoint You? and his epic Slideshow to even greater sonic heights.

In contrast, the beautiful Pretty Things and Nobody's Off The Hook featured just him and a piano, and there was even an unamplified folk song dedicated to his mother.

It was the big finish which was the biggest surprise, though, as Rufus stripped down to Judy Garland garb, comprising a long jacket, high heels and a smile, to perform a choreographed version of Get Happy with his band as dancers before closing with the anthemic Gay Messiah.