By Andrew Bansal
October 15th 2017, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles CA: When their debut album ‘Fallen’ hit airwaves worldwide in 2003, the gothic rock/metal band Evanescence was all the rage. Over the course of the subsequent decade, they followed it up with two successful albums ‘The Open Door’ (2006) and the self-titled effort (2011). Due to a variety of reasons, releases have come few and far between for this band, but in 2017, they have returned with their most ambitious effort yet, ‘Synthesis’, an assortment of previous material reworked with orchestral arrangements, plus two new songs. While this album still awaits its November 10 release, the band has begun touring North America to recreate it live with a full orchestra. For its second show, the tour arrived at a sold-out Greek Theatre in Los Angeles last Sunday October 15th, and as it turned out, the concert made for more than a mere nostalgia trip for those that know of Evanescence from that 2003 album.
The show began at 8 PM with a 25-minute opening act by the local orchestra which set the mood, and at 8:50, the orchestra returned, this time joined by Evanescence. Amidst huge cheers, singer/pianist Amy Lee took center stage and the large ensemble of musicians began a set that comprised all 16 songs that feature on the ‘Synthesis’ album, plus an additional 3 songs as the encore. For a rock/metal band to rework their material into orchestral arrangements, when said material was written several years ago and clearly not with an orchestra in mind, it takes tremendous confidence, courage and a sense of creative ambition. Similar experiments by other bands have proved that results may vary, but in the case of Evanescence, it seems to have succeeded, if the unanimous approval of the Los Angeles audience is anything to go by.
Such was the brilliance of the manner in which this Evanescence music was executed live by the band and orchestra, it was as if these songs were always meant to be performed this way. All musicians played their part in making so many intricate layers flow together as one. Amy Lee was obviously the center of attention, but fronting a group this large instead of the usual 5-piece band, she must have felt the burden of the entire earth upon her shoulders. She emerged triumphant, and proved her true talent as a singer, musician and performer like never before. The most endearing moment of the set was when she garnered the audience’s undivided attention to the extent of pin-drop silence, with her voice alone, while all instruments took a brief pause. Such is the power of a great singer.
The grandiose atmosphere of the Greek Theatre made for the perfect setting Evanescence could have imagined to present the ‘Synthesis’ live experience in, and even though this tour is visiting some wonderful venues around the continent over the next 8 weeks, this sold-out Los Angeles concert would surely be remembered as a marquee event in the touring cycle for this release. Time flew by as Amy Lee and her entourage held this audience captive and spellbound for the entirety of the set, and if all concerts on the tour attain similar levels of performance, Evanescence fans across North America are in for a very special treat.
It is easy for a band to ride out their entire career writing the same album over and over, performing the same exact set list and remain on auto-pilot. Without naming names, it can be safely said that there are way too many bands that fall under this category. And this is why it is furthermore respectable and admirable to see a band break out of the mould, think outside of the box, and dare to change things up, like Evanescence is doing with the ‘Synthesis’ album and tour. This is Evanescence like you’ve never seen or heard before, and it’s worth the price of admission and much more.
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Set List:
01. Overture
02. Never Go Back
03. Lacrymosa
04. End Of The Dream
05. My Heart Is Broken
06. Lithium
07. Bring Me to Life
08. Unraveling (interlude)
09. Imaginary
10. Secret Door
11. Hi-Lo
12. Lost In Paradise
13. Your Star
14. My Immortal
15. The In-Between
16. Imperfection
Encore:
17. Speak To Me
18. Good Enough
19. Swimming Home
Remaining Tour Dates:
10/17/2017 – Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
10/20/2017 – Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
10/22/2017 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Irving Music Factory
10/23/2017 – New Orleans, LA @ Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts
10/25/2017 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
10/27/2017 – Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
10/28/2017 – Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
10/30/2017 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts
10/31/2017 – Oxon Hill, MD @ MGM National Harbor
11/02/2017 – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theater
11/03/2017 – Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Resort Casino – Grand Theater
11/05/2017 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre – Boston
11/07/2017 – Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Bethlehem Event Center
11/08/2017 – Baltimore, MD @ Hippodrome Theatre
11/10/2017 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
11/30/2017 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
12/02/2017 – Carmel, IN @ The Palladium
12/05/2017 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
12/06/2017 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theatre
12/08/2017 – Toronto, ON Canada @ Sony Centre for Performing Arts
12/09/2017 – Windsor, ON Canada @ Caesar’s Windsor
12/11/2017 – Kansas City, MO @ Kansas City Music Hall
12/13/2017 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
12/15/2017 – Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
12/16/2017 – San Francisco, CA @ Masonic Auditorium
12/19/2017 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall