Rock legends Evanescence took to the stage in Perth on Thursday night for an intimate show ahead of their supporting slot for Metallica on Saturday night.
The music icons, responsible for every millennial’s emo phase in the 2000s, treated a few hundred fans to a set they would normally perform to tens of thousands, and the energy in the room was palpable.
Led by singer Amy Lee, 44, the talented group of musicians, including guitarist Tim McCord, guitarist Troy McLawhorn, drummer Will Hunt, and bassist Emma Anzai, set the intention for the night as soon as they stepped out on stage and went from zero to a hundred in a matter of seconds.
One of the most vital parts of performing is making the audience feel safe in your talents, allowing them to fully engross themselves within the show instead of being taken out of the fantasy by little errors or vocal cracks; and Evanescence are, at their heart, just consummate professionals. These are musicians who have the craft running through their veins, and it’s just an absolute joy and honour to get to witness that in person.
The band became an overnight sensation in the 2000s with the release of iconic banger Bring Me to Life, which you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t know every single word and adlib too.
It was followed by Fallen, one of the most iconic rock albums ever made, which also featured tracks like My Immortal and my personal favourite, Going Under.
They continued that success with gothic banger Call Me When You’re Sober from their follow-up record and have been mainstays in the rock charts ever since.
Lee’s soaring vocals are instantly recognisable and somehow managed to sound both moody and angelic simultaneously as she belted out some of their biggest hits at MetroCity in Perth. Usually a nightclub, it’s a curious little venue that evokes Dutch artist M. C. Escher’s iconic Relativity painting with its sprawling staircases that make it practically impossible to have a bad view of the stage. It meant the crowd was able to be fully immersed in the show, giving everyone a close-up view of the band as they performed in Australia for the first time since their 20 Years of Fallen Tour back in 2023.
Lee stepped out on stage and said how much the band had missed being in Perth, before teasing: “We should bring the Wiggles out on stage to perform with us!” and sparking laughter from the audience.
Lee’s vocal ability, often considered one of just a handful of true greats around the world, excelled in a small venue. Sometimes, to fully enjoy a gig, you need to know every song and every word because it’s not always the easiest of settings to fully digest new music… but that’s not the case with Lee. Her soaring vocals are just otherworldly, to the point where she could literally just be singing the phone book and I would be totally entranced and assume it’s a well-known classic. But that’s not to undermine the rest of the band, whose own offerings paired with Lee’s talents come together to make magic.
With the resurgence in guitar-driven pop and rock music over the last few years, thanks to emerging pop divas like Olivia Rodrigo, who has previously shared her love for the band, I want to live in a world where Evanescence is fully appreciated not only for the impact that they had on music, but also for the impact they’re still having all these years later.
Here’s to another 20 years.
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