Entertainment

Five thoughts: Lindsey Stirling (May 24, House of Blues)

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Judges on America’s Got Talent be damned—Lindsey Stirling had the House of Blues crowd in the palm of her hand last weekend.
Photo: Bill Hughes

1. I’ve never seen a House of Blues line as long as Saturday night’s queue for EDM/hip-hop violinist Lindsey Stirling and The Voice’s Dia Frampton. It wrapped around the venue and ended in front of Mandalay Bay’s valet. The all-ages event drew quite the diverse crowd, from expectant mothers to hipster 20-somethings to gaggles of 8-year-old girls. And props to the woman in the neck brace.

2. Stirling became widely known for competing on America’s Got Talent, where judge Piers Morgan dismissed the idea of a dancing, hip-hop violinist. I was skeptical, too—until the first number. Some might consider Stirling’s hybrid a hokey, made-for-Vegas shtick, but the choreography really elevated her virtuosity on the strings (with help from two stellar male backup dancers).

3. The precision of the trio’s footwork was fun to watch, and the music was equally on point. Stirling blazed through tracks off her eponymous debut and April’s Shatter Me, along with a cover of John Legend’s “All of Me” and, yes, a Legend of Zelda medley.

4. Stirling’s genre-crossing sound employs a lot of EDM, and clubby visual effects complemented the entertainment. While the vibrant electric backdrop and laser lights were welcome additions, a few of her gimmicks were … odd. See: a slideshow of Stirling’s childhood videos, an audience sing-along during “All of Me” and a completely awkward meet-the-person-next-to-you moment.

5. Though it was weird clutching a PBR with 6-year-olds mere feet away, it spoke of Stirling’s reach. Since when have kids wanted to watch a violinist?

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