Rufus Wainwright is heading out on his first solo headlining tour for Poses, his second album. The small club tour kicks off on February 8th in Boston and wraps up nineteen dates later in San Francisco.

Wainwright toured with Tori Amos and Roxy Music last year but was not supported by a full band. This time around, Wainwright's sister, Martha will play guitar and sing, Jeff Hill will play bass, singer-songwriter Teddy Thompson will take guitar and vocal duties, the Eels' Butch will play drums/percussion and an additional guitarist/keyboardist will be named.

Thompson will also serve as Wainwright's opening act for all shows except New York City's Town Hall dates. Martha Wainwright and Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons) will warm on those two dates.

Wainwright's cover of the Beatles' "Across the Universe" can be heard on the soundtrack to I Am Sam, the new Sean Penn flick.

Rufus Wainwright tour dates:

2/8: Boston, Avalon Ballroom
2/9: Albany, NY, Hart Theater at the Egg
2/10: Toronto, Ontario Convocation Hall
2/11: Montreal, Quebec, Le Spectrum De Montreal
2/13: New York, Town Hall Theater
2/14: New York, Town Hall Theater
2/15: Philadelphia, Electric Factory
2/16: Washington, D.C., 9:30 Club
2/17: Towson, MD, The Recher Theater
2/19: Pittsburgh, Metropol
2/20: Ann Arbor, MI, Michigan Theater
2/22: Chicago, Vic Theater
2/23: Oberlin, OH Finney Chapel
2/24: Greencastle, IN, Kresage Auditorium
2/26: Madison, Barrymore Theater
2/27: Minneapolis, First Avenue
3/1: Aspen, The Double Diamond
3/2: Denver, Gothic Theater
3/6: Anaheim, CA, The House of Blues
3/8: Los Angeles, Wilshire Ebell Theater
3/9: San Francisco, The Fillmore

CHRISTINA SARACENO
(January 17, 2002)