EVANESCENCE

Foxwoods Grand Theater
Mashantucket, Connecticut
November 3, 2017

It’s hard to believe that I have only been to Foxwoods two or three times over the years to see a concert, especially since I have started doing the concert photography and show review thing. A band originally out of Little Rock Arkansas made me make the 90 minute drive to a casino I haven’t been to in a couple of years. Evanescence is on tour with an orchestra backing them up. This was a must see.

The night started with the orchestra playing instead of the usual opening band. They played six songs to a slowly filling theater. The people already in their seats were enjoying some well known classical music. Songs such as, Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”, “Pavane” by Gabriel Faure, “Adagio Cantabile” also by Beethoven, “La strada” by Nino Rota, “Lacrimosa” by Mozart and one that I surprisingly knew, Danny Elfman’s :Sally’s Song” from “A Nightmare before Christmas”. A really good mix of classical music. The orchestra took their bows and went off the stage.

The applause started when the orchestra came back unto the stage and the cheers when the band took their seats with the Orchestra. Tim McCord on bass, Will Hunt on drums, Troy McLawhorn and Jen Majura on guitars. The crowd went wild as Amy Lee walked out and sat down at a grand piano and started playing. The first song was “Never Go Back” followed by “Lacrymosa” and then the last of the three songs I was allowed to shoot from the soundboard, kinda fitting it was “End of the Dream”

At this point, I could put a bit more attention into the show, now that I was done shooting. The crowd seemed to be enjoying the set so far and Amy Lee’s voice was fantastic, a very ethereal sound coupled with the orchestra and I am sure not the typical rock show a lot of people were expecting.

Amy spent a lot of time standing front and center at the mic stand, with the occasional song from the piano. She looked amazing in a red dress that really stood out in the lighting that was used on the stage. The night kept going with a set list that covered all 4 albums, songs such as, My Heart Is Broken, Lithium, Bring Me to Life, Unraveling, Imaginary, Secret Door, Hi-Lo, Lost in Paradise, Your Star, My Immortal, The In-Between, and Imperfection.

The encore started with a Amy Lee solo song, “Speak to Me” another song that featured Amy playing piano, this song fit perfectly with the orchestra backing her. “Good Enough” and “Swimming Home” closed out the set.

I was blown away by this performance, her voice never cracked, never wavered and was complimented so well by use of the orchestra. My only complaint, was that the rest of the band was relegated to sitting in chairs for the show.

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November 10th is the release date of the new album “Synthesis” there are new songs and reworking of the old classics with the orchestra. To get a taste of this live show go and pick that up or if you are in the places they are coming to… Go see them! You will not be disappointed. They are on tour till mid December.