Lindsey Stirling Dazzles with Snow Waltz Tour In Reading, PA

Snow Waltz Tour 2023

The Crowd

A Lindsey Stirling concert is great, A Lindsey Stirling Holiday concert is spectacular. Fans trekked out to Reading PA’s Santander Arena for what has now become a yearly holiday show fans old and new alike have come to look forward to. The Snow Waltz Tour is one that attracts fans of all ages and has become a staple for family’s holiday plans year after year. 

The Atmosphere

Inside, the arena was packed with excitement, with seats on the floor from the stage back and then elevated seated sections around the sides and back. The stage is a little home with windows, drums, and keyboards placed on the roof, umbrellas, and rings high above the stage. A stage converted into a magical winter wonderland. The back of the stage has large trees and branches. The stage set is a visual masterpiece.

The Show

The performance begins around 8:05 pm, the lights lower and Lindsey can be seen with her Violin behind the windows of the house as the track “Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson & His Pops Orchestra cover)” Lindsey comes out the front door met by her crew of dancers and the magic of her holiday show begins. Lindsey is not only a world-class violinist but also a phenomenal dancer especially since her appearance on Dancing With The Stars a few years back but also she’s a great singer and we get treated to hearing her beautiful voice during songs like “Warmer in The Winter” and “Santa Baby”.

The latter of which she’s high above the stage twisting and twirling on acrobatic rings above the stage. There’s tons of moments during this show that are jaw-dropping and absolutely stunning. Stirling at one point plays violin while shooting high in the air and spinning rapidly but song wise she never misses a note. Stirling’s energy and excitement for the show were infectious, It made you as the viewer excited to be there. Stirling also makes the crowd part of the show by sometimes coming into the audience with her dancers but most notably while she records a TikTok for “Carol of The Bells” while the audience provides synchronized lighting via their cell phones. Stirling’s passion for her craft was evident through every note she played, playing with intent and moving in a whimsical fashion across the stage every detail from lighting to outfit choices is so beautifully configured. She didn’t just perform, she put on a show that was invasive for the senses in the best possible way. 

The setlist was a mix of her original compositions like “Crystalize” and “Warmer In The Winter” along with renditions of the best holiday classics like “Let It Snow”, a medley which included “Deck The Halls”, “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas”, “Feliz Navidad”, “Jingle Bells” and even “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”. Stirling made every person feel like they were part of an intimate gathering even though the show was in a larger arena space. 

Her interactions with the crowd were genuine and heartfelt, creating a sense of warmth and camaraderie. She also opened up with personal stories like her belief in Jesus and Angels since her Father’s passing. It’s these moments in the show combined with her showmanship and wide range of talents that hooks fans in and makes them feel connected. 

Lindsey Stirling‘s “Snow Waltz Tour” is once again captivating, a display of unmatched artistry that exceeds all expectations of a Holiday performance. Stirling effortlessly combined music, dance, visuals, and personal storytelling to create a one-of-a-kind magical and surreal experience that electrified the Sold Out Pennsylvania crowd. Quickly, without question, Lindsey Stirling’s Holiday shows have easily become one of my favorites. A concert I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to year after year. 

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see. 

Setlist:

1. Sleigh Ride
2. Xmas Come On
3. Warmer in the Winter
4. Let It Snow
5. Joy to the World
6. Jingle Bells / Deck the Halls / It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas / Feliz Navidad / Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer / Devil Went Down to Georgia
7. Feliz Navidad 
8. O Holy Night
9. Angels We Have Heard on High
10. Crystallize
11. Snow Waltz
12. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
13. Santa Baby 
14. Carol of the Bells Ice Storm
15. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
16. Making a Tic Tok video of Carol of the Bells
17. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch 
18. Magic
19. Wander (Encore)