Evanescence are here in Australia as a part of the Metallica 72 Seasons world tour and as a part of that announced 3 intimate side shows one each in Perth, Melbourne & Sydney.
Tonight’s show was originally slated to be held at Melbourne’s 170 Russell a 1000 capacity room that has an incredibly intimate feel to it. As you can imagine it sold out in under a minute when it went on sale. I was one of the unlucky ones who just didn’t make the cut with initial tickets, but in a twist of fate here I am tonight. The announcement of a venue upgrade to PICA in Melbourne allowed for capacity to double if not triple. Sure, some of the intimacy was lost but it allowed so many of us to not miss out on seeing the guys play a full 90 min set, not just the support at the Metallica show.
Evanescence are one of those bands that been on my bucket list forever to see live. They shaped a defined a generation. Their music and style set them apart from everyone and crossed boundaries for many. 2003’s “Fallen” made them household names globally. That mix of nu-metal, hard rock and incredible softer moments was and still is the perfect combination to appeal to the masses and set up so many more female fronted metal bands to be able to evolve and shine.
There was no support band, just Evanescence and it was very intimate in that sense. It was a connective experience between the fans and the band in so many ways; the focus was between you and the band. As a band Evanescence are most definitely on top of their game. Tight, engaging, heavier than on record and just incredible.
Amy Lee’s voice is that perfect mix of power and beauty. Her voice is just something else live. From the opening of ‘Afterlife’ there was this energy that washed over you, it’s hard to explain aside from it raised the hairs on my arms and dropped my jaw.
Tonight’s set was a celebration of their career and even though “Fallen” had so many massive hits it was incredible to get perspective on their whole career. The four studio albums were all represented perfectly. Yes, there was 2017’s “Synthesis” but I consider that record more of a revisit of the career to date and that album showed just how good those songs are. As with most touring artists their latest album is going to be the spotlight of the show as we were treated to six songs from 2021’s “Bitter Truth”. The addition of 2025 songs into the set with ‘Afterlife’ & ‘Fight Like A Girl’ made this show also feel extremely special.
Playing nineteen songs in their set, it unfortunately left very little room for chatter between songs so when Amy Lee spoke it hit, you took notice and it was very well executed. Time was precious and it also didn’t allow for encores or solo slots it was a journey into the world of Evanescence’s catalogue. Having said that there wasn’t a need for solo slots as each band member simply shone. When Lee spoke, it was with purpose and a message. The one that struck hardest were her words at the beginning of ‘Use Your Voice’ where she addressed the crowd with “I want you to take this feeling tonight with you when you leave this place. Remember that we are in this together and together we are powerful. Can you hear me?” Short, direct and uniting.
Production was incredible, simple, dynamic and a perfect complement to what we were hearing. looking at the room it’s essentially an open shed but acoustically it was amazing. The lighting was innovative and worked to the power of the music. Tim McCord, Will Hunt, Troy McLawhorn and Emma Anzai build the perfect band when it comes to delivering the bones of these songs. Their energy was perfect, moody, fun, and full of atmosphere. Lee is no slouch on the keys or piano might I add.
Great songs are great songs and the genre naming that has been thrust on the band I think has been redefined. Evanescence is an incredible heavy/hard rock band plain and simple. Yet it is in their delicate nuances something that sets them apart from other bands and that for me became a realisation on the “Synthesis” album.
Watching the crowd throughout the show was an absolute treat, seeing how certain songs connected to the horde of fans tonight was incredible to watch, to hear and feel. While the connection was unified and sent back to the stage with words being sung back with the same intensity we were receiving them, again the number of times the hairs on my arms stood upright tonight was remarkable.
As the set drew to a close Lee took time to thank the crowd with the following words. “We’re coming around the bend here; we only have two songs left. Let’s get into this stuff right now. Whatever you have left in you, it’s time to let it out. So this is my moment to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. For those of you that have been with us for the past twenty-two, twenty-three, however many years, thank you so much for bringing us across the world to your beautiful country that we can come to as friends and remember times and the beautiful, beautiful memories that we have shared. Thank you for growing up with me. For old times’ sake lets sing it together” and that we did as a collective.
It’s one thing to find something special in a song but to be drawn into the bands world is simply something else. It’s funny how songs and messages within them can evolve as time goes by. The performance of ‘My Immortal’ means something a little different today to what it did in 2003 for me. It’s become broader and more relevant as we get older, it for me brought back people that had passed, it opened up a scrapbook of memories of people and slowly flipped through the pages. Smiles became tears and those tears became smiles in reflection by the end of the song.
Closing out tonight was the song that broke the band globally ‘Bring Me To Life’ which was delivered incredibly well, although it missed those contracting male vocal lines what impact may have been missing was made up for in energy and the overall bigger and heavier sound of the band live. It was the only way I guess the band could close out tonight. The cheers are enormous; the sing-along was loud and proud and most definitely had the hairs on my arm at attention again.
Evanescence delivered one of the best live sets I have seen period. Vocally Lee is a goddess with both angel and devil in her delivery. Not being able to compare it to a previous show I believe that this is a band that has only become better with age. I’m hooked, blown away and have these songs stuck in my head on the way home and I’m sure it will be well beyond that too. For anyone going to Metallica tomorrow night or any night on this Australian tour DO NOT miss Evanescence they were brilliant. Just quietly I think Hetfield and Co have their work cut out for them following these guys. There is something very special happening here.
The next time Evanescence tour I urge you to see them it’s one hell of an experience …. And yes, I will see you there.
As for the venue itself, what a great space for live music. The staff, security and team behind PICA have got it all right. The layout is fantastic and everything you could ask for in a venue. Tonight was an incredible night all round.
Setlist : Afterlife, What You Want, Going Under, Yeah Right, Sober, The Change, The Other Side, Wasted On You, Lost In Paradise, Lithium, Fight Like A Girl, Take Cover, End Of The Dream, Better Without You, Imaginary, Use My Voice, Blind Belief, My Immortal, Bring Me To Life.
Gallery
All image credits Shot by Slaidins Photography
With thanks to Janine and the Dallas Does PR team and to Destroy All Lines for the media access.