You may not know their name, but you’ve definitely heard their music, especially if you’re a fan of the Netflix show, “Bridgerton.” The classical quartet, Vitamin String Quartet, contributed many covers to “Bridgerton,” and recently performed at the Englert Theatre on Jan. 30.
I had never heard of the group, nor watched “Bridgerton,” but even I had heard the show’s soundtrack and was intrigued by the idea that a classical quartet could perform renditions of pop songs.
The show was advertised as “The Music of Billie Eilish, Bridgerton, and Beyond” for their Winter 2026 tour. As a fan of Eilish, I was excited, and the group did not disappoint. They opened with Eilish’s “bad guy,” accompanied by flashing red and white lights from the light rods displayed behind them.
Their energy was contagious as the musicians smiled and seemed to truly enjoy themselves on stage. In a joking manner, cellist Derek Stein said Eilish’s iconic “duh” into the microphone, which had me laughing along with the audience. That was just the first of several jokes made on the stage that night.
With their cover of “Sugar, We’re Goin Down,” by Fall Out Boy, Stein also jokingly pointed out the song had come out over 20 years ago. I hadn’t heard the song before, but I liked its classical cover, which was energetic and made more thrilling by the accompanying orange flashing lights. One of my favorite moments was when one of their violinists, Rachel Grace, knelt and played her instrument behind her back for a fun conclusion.
Before the performance, Stein shared how hearing a VSQ cover made him realize his instrument’s potential. He joined the band just over 13 years ago, after listening to a tribute to his favorite band at the time, No Doubt.
“I didn’t realize I could do that kind of music on my instrument,” Stein said. “When I discovered that, it became something I wanted to at least somewhat pursue with my music making.”
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One of Stein’s personal favorite covers is the Foo Fighters’ “Everlong,” which he performs on tour. The piece was arranged by one of the violinists, and he enjoys the energy and nostalgia it brings to the audience.
“It’s probably the song that we put the most speed and volume to, so it really feels like a rock song, and it’s just a lot of fun to play,” Stein said.
In honor of Part 1 of Bridgerton’s season four releasing on Jan. 29, the quartet announced that their next song, Paramore’s “All I Wanted,” was going to be featured in the new season and had released a video on YouTube. The collective gasp of excitement from the audience made me smile, and as a fan of the song, I really liked the quartet’s cover.
The musicians played the song with passion, and there was a palpable energy in the room. The accompanying light display of flashing red, purple, and blue lights made for an immensely enjoyable experience.
In addition to the flashing lights, I noticed pedals on the stage, which the musicians would tap their feet on, and wondered what they were. Evidently, this was a common question, as the violinists took a moment to demonstrate that these were page turners that controlled their sheet music on their iPads.
One of my favorite covers performed during the show was “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, one of my favorite songs. The romantic nature of the song was captured by the flashing pink lights, and one of the violinists played the rock guitar solo from the song, which I did not realize a classical instrument could do.
Toward the end of the performance, the musicians inquired if there were any young, aspiring musicians in the audience. There were many hands raised, and the quartet took a moment to share words of encouragement.
Stein hoped that for everyone who came to the show, it would offer a moment of escapism.
“We really put on a show for them, and we banter with each other, and we have jokes that we like to tell,” he said. “It’s not just going to see a quartet play, it’s like a real experience.”
