Rufus Wainwright, Guster and Ben Folds 6/13/2004

One upon a time, Guster’s popularity peaked during a Central Park performance. Arriving in August 2000, eight months after the release of Lost and Gone Forever, Guster’ first Central Park concert was an oversold event, taking place at the tail end of the trio's inaugural summer on pop-culture radar. With "Fa Fa" flirting with mainstream airplay, Guster successfully severed their jamband ties, maturing into one of the college circle’s ripest success stories.

A collegiate cycle later, Guster are no longer radio darlings in waiting. Playing a short, hour spot on this rainy Tuesday evening, the Boston-bred trio drew an intimate crowd by Manhattan standards: a far cry from 2000’s sold-out soirée. Yet, sometime during their abridged set, Guster confirmed their cult status. Inviting piano-man Ben Folds on stage for a run through of “All the Way Up to Heaven” and their best new track “Backyard,” Guster filled out their trademark minimalism. While not jams per say, Fold’s fast piano matched Guster’s quirky edge with mature musicianship. Like Folds’ own mismatched career, Guster has gracefully aged from potential pop-stars to perennial personal obsessions.

In fact, collaboration proved key throughout this Tuesday’s triple bill. During his headlining spot Fold showed off his own percussion skills, drumming alongside Guster’s Brian Rosenworcel during a brief percussion interlude, before segueing into a full Guster-Folds duet. Rufus Wainwright invited both Ben Folds and Guster onstage, also treating fans to appearance by his famous family: sister Kate McGarrigle and mother Martha Wainright. Welcoming three individual audiences, these untied acts blended their crowds into an organic pop safe haven of sorts. Sponsored by the independent WFUV, this concert also proved that pop has a place outside mainstream radio.

Folds and Guster found their greatest success during their most cerebral, melodic moments. Folds surprised a majority in attendance, making the most of his solo piano set. Conducting his audience like a 5,000 person orchestra, the piano man offered refreshing takes on “Steven’s Last Night in Town” and “Army,” leaving overplayed hits like “Brick” and “Rockin’ the Suburbs” at home. Guster also offered polished takes on “I Spy” and “Demons,” delivering a bit deeper into their mild electric experiments on “Airport Song.”

Despite being the most adventurous artist on this triple bill, Wainwright’s baroque-pop resulted in a wash, set against a slightly muddy group of collegiate concertgoers. Taking a stab at “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Wainwright simply didn’t hit his high notes, seemingly out of place outside his studio comfort-zone. Using his piano to create bawdy, piano-based pop-rockers, Wainwright’s artistic intensions were also hampered by somewhat muffled sound system, further derailing his earnest set. Though “Brian Rosenworce,” from the Shrek soundtrack, provided some redeeming value, Wainwright proved the evening’s most disappointing addition.

Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, and Guster each have pop-star potential. Yet, in an era symbolized by teen-idols, these geek-rock revivalists remains a cult-hero: too quirky for pop-stardom, too smart for cock-rock. But, as this evening proved, Revenge of the Nerds also remains a perennial rental favorite.

Rufus photo courtesy of rufuswainwright.com.