Evanescence's popularity, particularly in South America, seems to be growing with each year.
On Saturday night, October 21, the veteran band fronted by the engaging singer/songwriter Amy Lee, headlined a packed soccer stadium in São Paulo, Brazil.
The 40,000 screaming/singing/beaming fans was the largest audience the group has performed to as a headliner.
Currently on the last few gigs of two year The Bitter Truth tour, Evanescence has been joined with a new bass player, Emma Anzai of the Australian metal band Sick Puppies.
Last year the band parted ways with guitarist Jen Majura, which gave longtime bassist Tim McCord a chance to go back to his original instrument and let Anzai hold down the bottom.
Lee said last month in Australia that she and Anzai have been friends for years and always hoped there'd be a way they could either play together on a side project or something... and then this opportunity arrived.
Evanescence has been touring in support of The Bitter Truth which came out in 2021 to rave reviews and impressive album sales.
Not a lot of suits believed that this hard-to-define alternative/gothic/heavy band fronted by a female keyboard player with a soaring voice could reap many rewards, but Amy Lee was signed as a teenager and given years to write material.
The result was their Grammy-winning debut album Fallen, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Right before making the album in 2003, Lee said she was motivated by the rooms they were being recorded in. "I had definitely been around studios before," Lee said, in reference to the fact her father used to be a morning personality on the radio in Arkansas.
"But to go to Los Angeles and be in a legendary recording studio with pictures on the wall of people like Michael Jackson, Prince, people you've looked up to, you think, 'wow is this really happening? Like, we better do good,'" she said.
Fallen sold 17 million albums thanks to hits like "Bring Me to Life" and "Going Under."
20 years later they're attracting 40k.
They did good.
One of the things Evanescence has been doing this tour is a medley of sorts of "Haunted," "My Last Breath," "Cloud Nine," "Everybody's Fool," "Weight of the World" and "Whisper."
They've done this before with a series of slightly different tunes. But this might be the best.
While there are hardly any gripes about the setlist, one song the band has only played once sure would be interesting to see released as a proper single next year.
That is their cover of Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" which shouldn't be confused by the Taylor Swift tune that just went #1 this week.
Could it be that that's why the band never fully released it? They thought it would be misinterpreted as a Swifty cover?
What's great about Amy's version is she really makes it her own. Her voice is so unique and the slower pace lets her bring out all the richness in her range. And also she nails the sassy hook with her right hand.
Next month the band will be releasing a deluxe remastered and expanded version of Fallen, just in time for gift giving.
In the meantime if you're lucky enough to be in the Southern Hemisphere of South America right now there are three more shows in Brazil this month with your name on it. Go to the Evanescence website to nab your tickets while you can.
