From the first few moments of being seated comfortably in the dress circle, looking down at the frisky youth crammed in the mosh pit, I remember feeling bored and very irritated that everyone had to wait for the star of the show to present herself, and suppressing the urge to pull my hair out at the excruciatingly loud dance tracks played by a young female DJ, with a short blonde pixie haircut, who wasn’t really memorable, apart from revving up the moshpit gang’s energy by turning to take a selfie with them at the end.
Finally after waiting for nearly an hour, a golden spotlight was trained on a drummer, slamming powerful beats, the keyboarder joined in, then Lindsey played, her soaring melodies echoing out of the darkness, and all the sensations of madly coloured stage lights and booming sounds overwhelmed me in the best way. Snapping away photos of all the eccentric stage play with my Nikon DSLR I immediately envied the moshpit gang, who got to see the night’s violinist up close, and even some whipping out their pro cameras with mega lenses, or iPhones like the majority.
But moving on to what were the key strengths of this über-cool gig, Lindsey’s multitasking prowess is something of a phenomenon, from her simultaneous playing of the violin while breaking out into highly physical choreography, charming the audience with her occasional vocals, and her constant switch from performer to MC. The warm camaraderie between Lindsey and her bandmates Garvy (on keyboard) and Drew (on drums) injected the right amount of fun and entertainment in between songs.
The unforgettable songs of the night for me started with her cover of John Legend’s “All of Me”, with Lindsey mentioning beforehand that it was dedicated to love, as many couples have met through her concerts. As everyone roared at the thought of a new dating website called lindseymingle.com, then the song instilled a romantic tranquility and people waved their phone lights in the air (myself included). “Roundtable Rival” didn’t disappoint, with Lindsey on her violin and Garvy on the keytar breaking out into a sparky music duel. The climatic piece was her most iconic song to date, “Shatter Me”, and in Lindsey’s explanation of the song, she spoke of how it’s about breaking out of one’s shell, transcending insecurities and embracing one’s unique spirit.
There were some weaknesses though that I must point out as a critic. Waiting for our leading lady would’ve been more bearable had there been a better introductory act, or none at all. Either way, the DJ needs to go, and I’d recommend another DJ who has their own original tracks to mix, rather than remixing what we’ve all heard before. I’m thinking a third band member should’ve gone on tour to accompany Lindsey, whether it’s a second string player on the double bass, cello or viola, or even a brass player. The idea of a jazzy saxophone player alongside Lindsey’s splendid string sounds is just too thrilling to ignore! Of course with Lindsey’s beautiful vocal talent that completely took me by surprise, this is something that should’ve featured more too. These are just some possibilities for her future ensemble arrangements.
Lindsey did make a convenient costume change between acts, wearing the same red tartan leggings and black sparkly shoes, first with a black fringe mesh top, then to a shiny short black dress. I would’ve preferred a more contrasting costume change. The second outfit should’ve been more colourful and elaborate like some of the stunning pieces she wears in her music videos. It also would’ve been great if the feature artist for “Shatter Me”, Lzzy Hale, performed with Lindsey on the night, giving it more wow factor, rather than simply hearing her vocals as a back up recording while the music video played on screen.
The amazing thing is that no matter how talented she is Lindsey proves to be so humble and inspirational to her fans. She is something of a success story, and told us that her fame comes from being so unique, and striving, never giving up for one moment, no matter how many people told her she’d fail because she is different.
I guarantee that Australia will welcome Lindsey Stirling again when she returns to our shores with more new songs and stories to tell.
