Prudential Center – Newark, New Jersey – January 21, 2022.
In a Rolling Stone article from November 2020 announcing the latest studio album—The Bitter Truth— from alt-metal band Evanescence, Brittany Spanos wrote: “Every rock era has been defined by how few women have been able to break into the mainstream.” Let that sink in for a moment.
Last night, at the final show of Evanescence’s tour with Halestorm and Lilith Czar, I witnessed three powerful female musicians who have done exactly that. Seated at a white piano, Czar offered gratitude for the two headliners: “They broke the glass ceiling and changed the world.”
Amy Lee—vocalist, pianist, composer, and creator—of Evanescence rose to fame after studying piano and composition; combining her love of Romantic and Classical music with heavy metal and grunge. Evanescence took home the Grammy for best new artist in 2004, inspiring a generation of goths, released five albums, and continue to fill arenas with soaring operatic metal.
Lizzy Hale formed Halestorm as a teenager with her brother, drummer Arejay Hale. They added guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, completing their lineup in the early 2000s. In contrast to the gothic fantasy world created by Evanescence, Halestorm are pure rock and roll. Hale and Hottinger’s guitar duets lead to long instrumental jams that put more commercial bands like the Foo Fighters to shame. Halestorm is truly a musician’s rock band.
The joint Evanescence/Halestorm US arena tour began on November 5, 2021, in Portland, Oregon. Fifteen shows were scheduled across the United States, culminating in a final performance on December 15, in Newark, New Jersey. The staging for the concert featured a semi-circle of risers leading up to a central platform for the drummer. A triangular screen created a backdrop for an even taller platform allowing dramatic moments like when Lee appeared in silhouette for “The End of the Dream” with projections of crows taking flight behind her; their wings appearing to grow from her back.
Making it to Newark last night was no easy feat for these bands. 2021 continued to throw wrenches in the plans of every touring artist brave enough to venture out on the road amidst a volatile pandemic. This concert—which I thought would be my last of 2021—ended up my first in 2022 after a Covid outbreak in December forced the bands to cancel the remainder of their tour dates and isolate at home. A month later, they returned to the road only to have a snowstorm close the interstate, forcing them to cancel their show in Pittsburgh. The final nights of the tour very nearly derailed again after Halestorm’s tour bus caught fire in the early morning hours, leaving behind a charred and blackened shell. Luckily, the band was asleep in a hotel nearby and no essential equipment was lost.
If we’ve collectively learned anything from the Covid-19 pandemic it has been to cut one another—and ourselves—some slack. No one asked for this to happen. You can only do as much as you can do.
This was the story for me as I struggled to remember how to attend a concert of such magnitude. The afternoon was fraught with mishap and overreaction, leading me to throw my dress and make-up in a bag as I ran out the door. Later on, as I dressed in the stall of a public restroom, the pandemic’s effect hit home once more as I could no longer zip the back of my beloved dress. After some coaxing, I forced it to close, but I couldn’t take a full breath; and breathing is enough of a challenge under a thick N95 mask. How they did it back in the full corset days I’ll never know, as I changed back and attended the concert in jeans.
I soon forgot the details of the day as the lights dimmed and the stage came alive with sound. “Are you ready for a rock show?!” Hale called out to the audience, and girl, did she deliver.
Hale’s scream cut through the air, taking my breath away. Not one song went by where she didn’t have a guitar in her hands, unlike so many “female fronted” bands where the singer plays an instrument once or twice almost as a gimmick. The only exception was a beautiful piano-accompanied song in which Amy Lee joined Hale onstage and sang harmony to the delight of the audience.
As I sat in my dark red cushioned seat at the far end of the Prudential Center, cries of “I love you” from passionate fans echoed around the circular arena.
Evanescence began their set with “Artifact / The Turn” mirroring the opening of their new album The Bitter Truth. After a slow intro, Will Hunt pounded the first downbeat on his double bass drumset, and the transition to metal concert was complete.
Watching Evanescence live for the first time was everything I could have wished for it to be. Lee’s gorgeous voice soared, carrying each note with a level of perfection that made me shiver. Jen Majura added guitar and backing vocals that complemented and added power to Lee’s melodies.
Older songs—like “Bring Me To Life” and “Lithium”—sounded fresh and new while songs from The Bitter Truth fit in seamlessly and demonstrated how far the band has come. Since its release in 2020, The Bitter Truth has become one of my favorite albums. Lee’s lyrics address current issues from politics and injustice to the #MeToo movement, never losing the thread of beauty and opulence that runs at the core of Evanescence.
Amy Lee and Lizzy Hale are incredibly talented musicians each carrying a legacy of their own. As inspiring and unstoppable as they may look, the road has been far from smooth. As Spanos’ article revels, Lee has been met with degradation from men since the dawn of her career.
The song “Use My Voice” was inspired by Chanel Miller’s memoir and challenges anyone who might still dare to take Lee down. The studio version and accompanying video include other female musicians who have fought similar battles, among them Lizzy Hale and Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless).
As far as role models go, Amy Lee and Lizzy Hale are at the top of my list next to Shirley Manson and Joan Jett. In her acknowledgments at the end of the concert, Lee addressed the other performers, describing them as “incredible, strong, talented, and beautiful.”
I couldn’t say it better myself, so, from one scattered fan and the audience at large, thank you—all of you—for lifting us out of our daily pandemic-ruled lives for a night of hard rock, gorgeous metal, inspiration, strength, and love.
Alternative Music Blog 
I just read a glowing review on another blog about their show in Worcester, Massachusetts.
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I’d love to check it out – do you recall the name of the blog?
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Here’s the link to the post: https://myampmusic.co/2022/01/25/halestorm-evanescence-live-at-the-dcu-center/
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Thanks! That site certainly has an inspiring group of writers.
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