On the night of December 18, two blindfolded young girls were positioned in front of the Portland marquee outside of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. As their blindfolds were removed the absolute joy and excitement on their faces was priceless. Also evident as the crowd filled the hall, Lindsey Stirling has an incredibly diverse fan base, a mix of families, couples of all ages and everyone in between. There is something infectious about her enthusiasm and personality; she brings a perfect balance of music, dance, humor and deeply personal sentiment to the stage.
A highlight of the concert was Stirling telling the heartfelt story of playing in a NYC subway for hours, unrecognized and ignored. She also shared her personal struggles with depression and an eating disorder and how she over came it with her faith, family and friends. This led into an absolutely breathtaking performance of Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah." The performance of "Crystallize" was equally mesmerizing: Stirling’s violin playing combined with her synchronized dancing and lighting effects were near perfection. Stirling, her band, her dancers, and the choreography, sound and lighting were nothing short of outstanding. She closed the show with "Silent Night" (a personal favorite of this photographer), which she dedicated to her father. The opening act, Alexander Jean, featuring Mark Ballas (Lindsey’s dance partner on Dancing with the Stars), and his wife BC Jean provided a wonderful opening set. Overall, this was a five-star concert filled with beautiful music, wonderful dancing and meaningful personal moments.
