I'll keep it short: Mark O'Connor will be in my hometown in October. I'm a fan of his more traditional Appalachian fiddle work as well as his work in the jazz genre. As for the classical stuff, not so much. So, what is his show like these days and is it worth my time and money?
I'm a big fan. I agree that the classical crossover stuff is often unsatisfying. The last time I saw him he was doing old time and rag time, which was interesting. He's always skilled and he is usually trying to stretch his boundaries. It's always a bit of a gamble, but I usually feel rewarded for taking it.
He's a truly amazing fiddle player and is pretty neat on an acoustic guitar too. It's always well worth seeing a great player at one with his instrument.