To See Rating: 7.5/10
Just Curious Rating: 7.8/10

Last night at The Moore Theatre, I was privileged to see the handsome and talented violin virtuoso David Garrett perform the last of his two Seattle shows.  This German American musician is just a couple years shy of age thirty and already has a list of accomplishments.  A child prodigy, Garrett learned to play the violin at age four, recorded two CDs at age thirteen, played in multiple prestigious orchestras, and was named by Guinness World Records as the world’s fastest violin player.  Add in the fact that he is a former Armani model, and it is understood why he is called the “David Beckham of the classical scene.”

Simply dressed in jeans and a casual jacket, Garrett made an attention-grabbing entrance by sauntering down the aisle of The Moore while playing his violin.  He then unleashed a variety of songs including classic Bach and Vivaldi, bluesy numbers, rock tributes, and even the Pirates of the Caribbean theme, proving that the violin doesn’t just make music your grandmother would love.  Granted, The Moore was packed with mostly older folks and families with children whining to go home at intermission.  However, Garrett’s covering of popular songs by artists such as Queen and AC/DC are in accordance with his goal to give young listeners something contemporary mixed with classical music in an effort to find a new audience for the classical genre.

Throughout the show, Garrett was full of smiles and humor, often telling stories to introduce the next song he was about to play.  He told of his struggles to find an “affordable” apartment in New York City when he studied at Juilliard before playing the song “Summertime,” and humorously detailed an incident in which a woman held an umbrella over him as he played outdoors, not to save his violin, but just so she could hear him play the song “Air” in its entirety.  By far my favorite songs were his last two before intermission:  the bluesy “Summertime” and Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” both of which definitely have a modern ring to them, convincing me that Garrett is indeed making steps in the right direction to win over a new generation of listeners.

Please enjoy some clips from the show, including “Smooth Criminal” and Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters.”