Guilty pleasures are ok with me, but I don't do lots of arena shows. I'm more about a cult band or a club night. A friend had tickets to see Lindsey... who? I had no idea. I've been sick of lack of shows, so I caught up with a couple of music videos and joined a group of 6 (2 white guys and 4 POC) to see it.
She's a violinist-dancer-cosplay-EDM performer who pulls from Game of Thrones nerd tropes. Like Lady Gaga with a bow. I guess she built up a fandom from Youtube and now it's a broad appeal pop thing, grandma approved but quirky for the youth. The videos and stage show are blowout spectacles with CG backing videos and a million bucks of lighting, high concept dance routines and costume changes. It's like a cirque du soleil fiddle rave where she twirls around with kicks while playing, and even gets suspended high in the air and fiddles for you upside down. Amy Lee from Evanescence was on recorded vocals for one song. There were 4 other dancers, 3 other band members (mostly just keys and drums but also some metal guitar in spots), and a puppy.
My friends I was with were well versed in it. I wasn't, so I watched what kind of people were there and was there any interesting subtext? Not much, mostly just inspirational girl powered find your dreams messages. The part I'd rate highest was an anime/cyberpunk/star wars battle between her and a metal guitar villain all in black with glowing goggles. That was fun. Lindsey did a shout out to headbanging bros up front. It was also weird that some guys in the row next to us kept going back and forth for drinks, and apologizing to me while ignoring my asian lady friend, she commented on being ignored by the bros. I learned Lindsey is Mormon and wasn't surprised. A few times she mentioned being different were: being a violin girl from arizona (ahemwhite) and learning difference by going to a theme party as a pirate and being the only one dressed up. It was no more edgy than the puppy, but I loved the puppy, he carried a balloon across the stage. I can't rate it as anything less than fun.
https://www.fandom.com/articles/lindsey-stirling-interviewI'm looking forward to seeing TR/ST in a few weeks. Gimme a witchy goth rave.