Lindsey Stirling, Walk Off the Earth deliver good vibes to Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s Miller High Life Theatre: Duality Tour

I will admit, I went into last Thursday night’s Lindsey Stirling show with no idea what to expect. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of her music. That is not to say I dislike it, or that it is bad. I don’t, and it isn’t. It’s just not what I’m going to spin on my turntable if given the choice. A friend, however, told me her live show was worth checking out, so I did, and I have no regrets.

Certainly, wasn’t expecting a cross between a Broadway musical production and Cirque du Soleil, but that is what I got — along with a dynamo sprite with the strength, stamina and coordination to endlessly dance about the stage and spin upside down while playing the violin. On more than one occasion I found myself studying the movement of her bow and fingers trying to detect a clue that would prove she wasn’t really playing. I couldn’t do it. She certainly wasn’t phoning in the rest of her performance, so I doubt she’d fake it.

Stirling blew into Milwaukee’s Miller High Life Theatre supporting her latest collection of songs titled Duality, released this past June on her Lindseystomp Music label via Concord Records. The record is a collection of 10 instrumental numbers, plus a track with vocal support from Royal & the Serpent and another, “Survive,” with help from Walk Off the Earth. She’s teamed up with WOTE on the first string of dates for the Duality tour. Their support ended Aug. 24 in Minneapolis. Saint Motel is rounding out the remainder of her U.S. dates.

Of course, Stirling brought WOTE lead vocalist Sarah Blackwood to perform their collaboration.

It was the only live vocal performance of her set. Other vocal tracks were provided via pre-recorded audio. Drummer Drew Steen and guitarist/keyboardist Kit Thornberry provided live accompaniment, and a troupe of five dancers helped bring Stirling’s music to life.

And there was a lot of life in the performances. Stirling’s set began with what sounded like samples from her dismissal in the quarterfinals of season five of America’s Got Talent, including Sharon Osborne stating, “I don’t think what you’re doing right now is enough.” Stirling then entered stage right, alone beneath the spotlight dressed in a pink skirt, blue shirt and rainbow suspenders performing “Eye of the Untold Her,” track 2 on Duality.

Directly behind Stirling was a large sheer fabric onto which were projected one and then multiple silhouettes of dancers. Eventually, Stirling herself begins dancing along, interacting with the various projections, which to me represented the strength and spirit of the female gender.

When the opening number ends, the fabric drops and reveals Steen and Thornberry amid a platform of segmented boxes. At this point, Stirling approaches a single microphone and addresses the audience.

“I think that if we could see the true potential of what we could actually become, we would be absolutely astounded. I just want to remind you: just because no one else sees the potential in you doesn’t mean it’s not there.” As she says this line, three dancers come forth and tear away her pink skirt and blue shirt to reveal a sequined, black semi-transparent black dancer’s costume.

Then, in an obvious reference to her “failure” on America’s Got Talent, she says, “There will be seasons of time when you aren’t good enough to do the things you want to do. But never forget to add the most important word: ‘yet.’” And, as Stirling climbs the stairs to the upper level of the segmented platform behind her, she adds, “Do not give up on yourself when you are in the process of becoming who you were meant to be. It’s not that you’re not enough. You’re just not there yet.”

Throughout the evening, Stirling sprinkled in similar self-help therapy tips and motivational quips. She revealed that she had done the hard work of therapy herself after a bad breakup. She also revealed that $1 from every ticket sold would be donated to her Upside Fund charity which helps people in need pay off their medical debts. 

Stirling puts her mouth where her money is. Earlier in the day, she visited the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center in Milwaukee (read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article). There she performed three personal bedside recitals for patients as part of the Musicians On Call program at the hospital. Musicians On Call is a non-profit formed in 1999 and based in Nashville, Tennessee, whose goal is to bring live music to hospital patients, their loved ones and their caregivers. Stirling has been involved with the organization since 2017 and has performed for more than 400 patients in person and more than 9,000 more via virtual performances.

That’s the kind of uplifting behavior that filled Stirling’s entire performance, as well as that of Walk Off the Earth. The Canadian pop group known more likely for their covers than their own material shared a bit of both during their opening set. The covers included Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” and a medley of hits by The Beatles.

Their originals included “Rule the World,” “Fire in My Soul” and “Long Way Home,” a song that features Stirling, who came out to join the group adorned in a Wisconsin cheesehead.

Walk Off the Earth also was joined on stage for several songs by Luminati Suns, a trio of young boys — Giorgio, Luigi and Romeo — who are the offspring of Blackwood and WOTE founding member, singer and multi-instrumentalist Gianni “Luminati” Nicasslo.

You may be familiar with Romeo as the YouTube sensation from “Romeo Eats.” Now, he’s the lead vocalist, headbanger and out-of-control dancer performing songs like “My Stupid Heart” with his brothers and parents.

At times, WOTE’s set seemed a bit too much like witnessing the sugar-coated, love children of Nickelodeon and VH1; but in retrospect the performance fit right in with the overall vibe of the night.

Afterall, its only entertainment, and to answer Russel Crow’s famous query from the original “Gladiator” film — I was entertained. Stirling delivered, living up to my friend’s recommendation. My only regret was not bringing my wife. She would have loved the whole thing. 

Stirling has begun her western leg of the Duality tour with upcoming shows in Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon and others before heading to Europe in October. If you go, you can likely count on the setlist below. Due to the choreographed nature of Stirling’s performances, there’s little room for deviation. Head to lindseystirling.com for the full list of dates and where to get tickets.

You can also follow Stirling on all the normal channels — Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube — and more.

See the Full Gallery of the Evening Here!

If you captured 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. 

Lindsey Stirling Setlist: 

1. Eye of the Untold Her
2. The Arena
3. Underground
4. Firefly Alley
5. Roundtable Rival
6. Elements
7. Evil Twin
8. Serenity Found
9. Between Twilight
10. Shatter Me
11. Kintsugi
12. Crystalize
13. Purpose
14. Untamed
15. Inner Gold
16. First Light
17. Les Fées
18. Survive (with Sarah Blackwood)

Walk Off the Earth Setlist:

1. Rule the World
2. Fire in My Soul
3. Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover)
4. I’ll Be There
5. Whatever (with Luminati Suns)
6. Stick Season (Noah Kahan cover)
7. Better at Love
8. Medley (Somebody That I Used to Know, Heatwaves, Industry Baby, Alone, Africa, Oh No, That’s What I Want, Sunroof, Bad Habits, Can’t Get You Out of My Head, Dreams)
9. Long Way Home (with Lindsey Stirling)
10. The Beatles Medley
11. Red Hands
12. On the Road
13. Beautiful Things (Benson Boone cover) (with Luminati Suns)
14. My Stupid Heart (with Luminati Suns)