Promoting her third studio album Brave Enough in a tour of the same name, Lindsey Stirling has come a long way from her days competing in the fifth season of America’s Got Talent. The violinist, known for her unique blend of various musical genres, including hip-hop, classical music and electronic, that are seamlessly incorporated to various forms of dance, Stirling graced Washington, DC with her exceptional sound and vibrant energy.
The Washington, DC crowd is no stranger to Stirling, as the talented dancer-violinist has performed in the city during previous tours in the past years. This time around, the DAR Constitution Hall had the pleasure of hosting her talent and Stirling delivered with a new energetic show that included fan favorites like “Crystallize” and new material “The Arena” and “Gavi’s Song.”
Singer and songwriter Shawn Hook set the stage for a vibrant evening as the night’s opening act. Showing off his singing, and piano and guitar skills, Hook enamored the DC audience with his catchy songs. Lively and friendly, Hook shared the stories behind the songs performed. After an enchanting half an hour set, Hook and his band left the stage to pave way for the main act.
Effortless dancing through the stage as she played her signature instrument, Stirling and her violin captivated the audience until the very last song. Speaking her emotions through song, her infectious energy hypnotized the crowd as she and her impeccable group of dancers graced the floor number after number making everything (even the many costume changes) look like second nature.
In addition to dancing and playing the violin, Stirling demonstrated her singing talents during a segment of “Shatter Me,”while the dancing crew shone most during “Lost Girls,” and the encore “Roundtable Rival” and “Don’t Let this Feeling Fade.”
Sense of humor did not fall short throughout the night, one of the biggest highlights was the miniature instruments medley Stirling and her band members Drew Steen (drums and percussion) and Kit Nolan (keyboard and guitar) played. Each with a miniature version of their regular instruments, the trio played through a medley of fan favorite covers that included “The Legend of Zelda Theme Song” and “Hedwig’s Theme” from the Harry Potter franchise.
The show did not fall short of visual beauty, incorporating an immersive audio-visual experience. A continued highlight of the evening was the repeated use of video screens and choreography hand in hand. The dancing was carefully synchronized to the video on the screens, making the stage feel interactive and alive around the performers.
It is always uplifting to see a performer that can bring an all-ages, diverse crowd to enjoy a night of performing arts. Stirling didn’t waste the moment and shared her story, providing words of courage with the crowd to follow their dreams, advising that rejection and criticism will always stand in your way, but only if you let it.
The tour continues to move across the US, but for those of us who were left thirsty for more, we can take comfort on visiting Stirling’s YouTube channel as she continues to release video content to keep us content while we eagerly wait for the next time she graces Washington, DC with her music.
Running Time: 90 minutes, with no intermission.
Lindsey Stirling’s Brave Enough Tour played on Monday, October 24th, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall – 1776 D Street NW, in Washington, DC. For future performances and information check their calendar of events. For Lindsey Stirling’s future performances, see her concert schedule.
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Lindsey Stirling at Wolf Trap by Tiffany Draut.
