Lindsey Stirling’s ‘Duality’: the greatest show on earth?

A lot of people question my rationale when I say that Lindsey Stirling has, quite possibly, the greatest live performance in existence. They argue, “What about Paul McCartney? What about the rock gods of the 70s?” Listen, I acknowledge that 70s rock concerts back in the day (that probably cost a nickel or whatever) were most likely insane… but, I wasn’t alive yet. And regarding McCartney, even at my Millennial age and 50 years since Beatlemania, I cried the entire time I saw him out of awe and splendor. He is an artist in every sense of the word: knowledgable across instrumentation, knighted in his own country while leading another through a war-torn era of cultural, social, and political upheaval. So, yes, a Beatle undoubtedly beats out Lindsey Stirling (and pretty much everyone else) in stature. But I’m talking performance.

As subjective as ‘the greatest show on earth’ is, Stirling proves she is a worthy contender.

For those unaware, Lindsey Stirling is not only a world-class violinist, but an expertly trained ballet dancer. She’s further an acrobat, pulling off the kind of things you see from a Vegas Cirque Du Soleil show, and an incredible orator — infusing her humor, charm, hopes, and fears between songs. Put that all together with state-of-the-art stage production, flawless choreography, elaborate costumes, emotive backup dancers, and on-the-spot quips, and you’ve got yourself a Lindsey Stirling show.

My first encounter with Stirling was when she stopped by San Diego on her Artemis Tour — one that leaned heavily into folklore. From tribal adornments to pirate attire, Stirling enticed and entranced the audience, performing blindfolded, upside down while spinning every which-a-way in a harness or aerial hoop. It was the apex of spectacle, with a giant digital screen and flashy strobe lighting upping the intensity of her more EDM-laden tracks. I walked out the show hooked (pirate pun intended).

I had to see Stirling’s Snow Waltz holiday show next, which turned down the stage production to focus on the reason for the season. That was the first time I cried at a Lindsey Stirling show; her dedication of “O Holy Night” to her late father affected my very soul.

Because, you see, Lindsey Stirling isn’t a one-sided show; I leave a better person than I came in.

Entertainment is — and has always been — designed to ‘wow’ an audience or cause emotional reactions… not have said audience evolve from active mindfulness and metaphoric self-reflection. Stirling connects on a level that cuts through pretension, infusing Socratic asides to resonate with her audience subtly, yet surely. Whether it’s her religious beliefs (brought to the forefront in her holiday tours) or her views on mental wellness and the meaning of life, she addresses areas of human behavior that can be improved and lets the audience interpret it for themselves. It’s performance art in its purest form.

I expected the spectacle as I headed into the San Diego Civic Center for Stirling’s Duality show, supporting her new album of the same name that dropped in June. But I had no idea how wildly different Duality was going to be from Artemis. Literally running from her demons, the show starts with Stirling dressed as a schoolgirl — timid and terrified. Through performance, she expresses how much she has matured, not only since her last album but in life itself. The show is an analogy of looking oneself in the mirror, accepting the duality of being both good and bad at the same time. Life is a spectrum of grey and it’s okay to go to black sometimes.

Stirling’s not scared of her darkness anymore.

The demons dissipate, the curtain falls, and solace is revealed as Lindsey stands alone onstage — a clear analogy of becoming self-aware. This message of breaking free from constraint is emphasized throughout the show, from the textiles to the lighting and the utilization of wind. Every piece of Duality is meticulously crafted to tell the story of maturation, manifestation, and metamorphosis. Stirling openly addresses her own struggles with mental health within the show and how she has turned to breath work over the past few years to overcome her crippling anxiety. I’ve seen mental health advocates talk onstage throughout the music industry, but I’ve never witnessed a performer stop her set to have a mindfulness session with the audience! To be quite honest, I found myself more present in the here and now, more enthralled in the performance, and more connected to others around me after that — just from being aware of my breath.

Of course, Lindsey also did astonishing feats onstage, from the aerial hoop to her unbelievable flexibility and dance precision, never missing a note on the violin. Without giving too much away, as I encourage all to see this show if you can, Duality is a profound coming-of-age story with much left for Lindsey to reveal in her next life chapter.

But, back to the ‘best show on earth’ statement…

I witnessed this magnificent show in tears (I know, I’m a sap). I truly believe I went home a better person. But that’s just my view. What really drove the theory home was how the person I came with kept repeating “this is the best show ever” as they watched and, upon leaving, the elderly gentleman sitting on my other side — with a look of utter disbelief — told me that it was the best thing they’ve ever seen, with his male comrade in agreement. Comments that I overheard while exiting the building were extremely similar. That’s enough validation for me.

Photography by Kristy Rose

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