Lindsey Stirling and Evanescence

There’s something amazing about someone living their best life.

I’ve expressed similar thoughts about Lindsey Stirling before; she’s this adorable force for good in the world who was beaten down by so many of this world’s demons and she still came out and triumphed. There’s the old joke of the overnight success when really she worked and managed to navigate the options this world gives those ambitious enough to try greatness, lucky and talented and driven enough to make it through.

She talks about it at her shows. She’s open and honest about the life she’s made for herself, how she got here and what it took. There’s a sense of intimacy that fills an arena when she’s talking on stage, full of an honesty that will bring tears to your eyes and put a smile on your face – and that’s before the music starts.

Anyone that doesn’t believe in magic needs to hear her play a violin.

I’ve been to Lindsey Stirling concert before and I’ll go to Lindsey Stirling concerts again; she puts on an incredible live show. This one was special for a couple reasons: one, she was headlining for Evanescence, and, two, this was my honeymoon.

Amy Lee (and never doubt for a moment that Evanescence is anything other than hers) has a similar story to Lindsey. She grew up in the same sort of environment and was able to make a name for herself through perseverance, hard work, talent, and luck. She’s incredible, producing a body of work where the sound goes deep instead of wide.

The easy criticism is that her sound doesn’t evolve, but those that say it miss the mark; her melodies were never designed to cover a wide range of territory, but to take you, breathless, deeper and deeper to a place where most people only find darkness and noise. She filters away the noise and shadows an operatic sense of something, a lurking angel that urges you to be more.

Amy’s influence on the music scene that came after her is easy to see, and, more specifically, is easy to see with Lindsey. Even if you miss it, Lindsey will be happy to explain it in gleeful detail. She gets to perform with one of her heroes and neither of them are going to disappoint.

There’s a sense of freedom to both of them in this show: Amy is a powerful enough voice to leave behind the dated trappings of early-aught rap-metal and present her music the way it was always meant to be.

For example:

It’s amazing to me that someone though adding rap-metal to that was going to make it better. Going back to listen to the older version only leaves one with a sense of how dated it is; this is what Amy originally intended, and the soft thrumming power of it is a wonder.

Lindsey, of course, is Lindsey. She’s constantly exploring the limits of her sound and the joy she can bring; hell, she started the set of this show with the ending song from her last, exploring through Shadows and Transcendence and Lost Girls, pausing only to expound on the meaning of her music.

Both Bree and I were enthralled, unable to take our eyes away from the stage from one performer to the next. Lindsey came out to play with Amy, and Amy returned the favor – covering for Lzzy Hale in Shatter Me. She did it dressed in a Wookie costume, too, because why not?

Here it is without the Wookie suit, just for context:

Oh, and Lindsey playing with Amy? She did that to an Across the Universe cover that had Bree in tears and followed up with a cover of Hi-Lo that had us in stitches.

I suppose that’s the draw of both performers: there’s a truth to their music. It makes what they do compelling and emotional, a new kind of power that inspires and lifts. I can’t recommend either of them enough, and if they ever go on tour together again you should go see them. It was worth the drive into a dangerous foreign country and to a farm in the middle of nowhere. It was an excellent way to spend the first few quiet days with my new partner. 10/10, would do again; this is the third time I’ve seen Evanescence and the fifth I’ve seen Lindsey Stirling and both of them always put on an incredible experience.  

This was, sadly, their last show together – at least for the time being – but you can still listen to their music at home. Evanescence’s latest album is Synthesis, which you can purchase by clicking here. Lindsey Stirling’s latest is Brave Enough, which you can purchase by clicking here. Both of their discographies are frequently listened to and singles will pop up on Insomniac Radio in the future.

If you’re looking for good music to do anything to, this is it.