Evanescence, June 11th, 2003 Jun 12 '03    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music The Dirtchamber Sessions, Vol. 1 by The Prodigy From $11 Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 The Bottom Line Entertaining show by a young band hitting it BIG. One night, I was up late, writing a review of some band or other for the epinions music section. As I am a live music junkie, I received an email from one of the concert updates I subscribe to. Touring in support of their hit album Fallen, Evanescence was coming to Denver’s beautiful Fillmore Auditorium. Being the wonderful boyfriend I am, I went into the bedroom and informed my sleeping girlfriend of the upcoming show, and did she wish to go? (Normally, I update her on concerts via email at work, usually, something akin to so and so is coming, I’ve seen them already, if you want to go, I’ll go. Unless it is someone I really want to see, then it is I really, really, really want to go see band X, and I really would like it if you went with me….) Since we had listened to Fallen for about a month straight when we first purchased it, I took her angry mumbles as yes, I’d love to go see Evanescence, honey, and went online and purchased two tickets. Shortly, June 11th came, we finished work, changed clothes, and headed down to Colfax Avenue and Clarkson. A line of kids, dressed mostly in black, had already formed in front of the Fillmore. It brought back memories of the days when I was that kid, in line. Rather than wait in line for over an hour, we walked two blocks west to Harry’s Bar, where we wasted an hour drinking cheap happy hour drinks. When we got in line, the Fillmore security was doing some weird, new thing. All guys in line, come up to the front. Which meant, all of us there with someone, had to leave them in line and go up to the front, where we were frisked, then allowed to enter. So, I entered, waited for my girlfriend, and we headed for the bar, only to find that an all ages show meant no was alcohol served. OK, we can deal with that. So we hung out and watched the crowed until the show started. The crowd for this show was a mixed one, to be sure. There were a few oldies, live music junkies, such as us. There were Goths. There were Christian kids there, due to the alleged Christian connection of the band. ( Note: I refuse to get into this. I could care less. Christian, Satanic, Vulcan, whatever. If a band is playing music I like, I listen to it, regardless.) There were also parents there with kids, most likely figuring this would be a safe show to take the tykes to. Boy, were they in for a shock. The show apparently was a big bash for the Fort Collins based radio station, KTCL 93.3. As such, we got two local bands, one from Los Angeles, and Evanescence. The first band, Ion, was local. Maybe I was still on a buzz from the vodka, or maybe it was the distortion talking, but these guys reminded me of what might have been had Faith No More been a Nu-Metal band. It could just be the singer, who kind of had a Mike Patton thing going on, that made me think of this. Whatever it was, they were fairly entertaining. I am a proponent of supporting local music, wherever you are, and I wish these guys well. After five or six songs, they said thanks and broke down. Next up, from Los Angeles, was Grade 8. Grade 8 had a very fast paced, punk thing going on, that live, seemed to border on thrash at times. Sadly, the sound man had the mix wrong, and we could not understand the vocals, which was a shame. Songs with topics such as anyone who ever grew up in an alcoholic household, and my best friend, who was shot in some gang initiation bullsh*t. Clearly, Grade 8 has something to say, it was just too bad we could not understand what it was. Predictably, my girlfriend cared not for them and went outside to smoke. Personally, I found them to be quite entertaining. What I found particularly amusing was the amount of F-Bombs the singer threw out between songs. I could just picture the faces of the parents who had brought their kids, thinking Evanescence would be a safe concert for kids. Next up was a local band from Boulder, Rose Hill Drive. To be honest, they were quite talented, but honestly, they were on the wrong bill. Rose Hill Drive played a 1970’s rock boogie, with a touch of a Led Zeppelin fixation thrown in. As such, the trio would embark on extended, groovy, guitar oriented jams, to a mixed reaction. There was a good amount of applause, yet the punks in the crowd were booing them, as well as flipping them off. These are probably the same punks listening to the likes of Good Charlotte and their ilk, but hey, I guess real punks can boo a band. I would love to see the same idiots suddenly having to listen to Bad Brains or Minor Threat, just to see them try that same crap. But I digress. Personally, I liked Rose Hill Drive a lot, I just think they would fit in better as part of a different lineup. Then, we had to wait an extremely long period of time. I am a veteran of over a hundred concerts, used to the occasional long wait, and even I was getting annoyed. I began thinking, damn, you have one album out. Get out here and play it. Finally, it was worth the wait, as Evanescence came on and kicked out Going Under. And kick it, they did. The entire show, the band was fast, tight, and loud. The orchestration, pianos, and samples heard on Fallen were sequenced, leaving the band to basically rock the hell out. And rock the hell out, they did. Not only did they rock out, but, they seemed intent on putting on a good show, and the entire band appeared to be having a good time. Whatever anyone wants to make of Ben Moody and the whole Nu-Metal thing, with constant chug a chug a chug a guitars, go see him live. The guy can play a guitar. He throws himself into the whole power chord thing wholeheartedly, but he played several solos over the course of the evening that opened my eyes. A major highlight was the beginning of Bring Me to Life, where, instead of the piano from the CD, Moody played a white hot solo in it’s place as Amy Lee sang the opening verse. Speaking of which, now is good as time as any to talk about Amy Lee. Basically, Amy Lee was an energetic ball of showmanship. She worked the entire stage, making sure to include both sides of the crowd in her antics. She has the rock star moves down already, and she is not hesitant to banter between songs. Dressed in a black leather outfit, with these scarves hanging off her arms, she did the coolest part of the show. The stage was black, and as the lights hit her, Amy was raising her arms, making her look like an angel. Vocally, she sounds pretty much as she does on the CD, with the exception of a couple areas where she strained a bit. I am giving her the benefit of the doubt, as the band drowned her out at times. I came away very impressed with her live performance. Oh yeah, at one point early in the show, she suddenly ran offstage. When she came back, she said I think I busted my lip. Then she did the I'm OK, and I rule fist if the air thing, to much applause. Very amusing. As for the stage banter, much was made of Ben Moody’s outfit. I swear he was wearing a bathrobe, however, I am told, he was wearing a rather baggy, ugly, loud flannel shirt with an equally ugly pair of shorts. His explanation? F*ck it, I’m tired. As people kept getting on him, he finally asked if he would rock any less if he were naked, then started to pull the shirt off. Amy quickly ran onstage and begged the band to begin the next song. Staged or not (more than likely staged,) if was fairly entertaining. There were no band members introduced during the show, nor were any songs. Therefore, there will be no song listing for this write up. Why? Well, they did three songs I have never heard before. I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest they were from the original demo album. I cannot confirm this, having never heard it, however, most bands introduce new songs as such, and these were not introduced. Anyway, while attempting to figure out if I knew these three songs, I kind of lost track of the songs I did know. Sorry. All songs were done in a fast, loud, enthusiastic manner, with the guys playing to the audience between power chords. I can tell you that Everybody’s Fool, Haunted, and Tourniquet were highlights, and Hello was not played. While the band was backstage getting ready for the encore, the crew put a keyboard front and center, so Amy could play My Immortal. The band came on for the ending of the song, throwing in some restrained power as a finale. Then, time for one last song, My Last Breath. All in all, I was entertained by the entire concert, and I thought Evanescence put on an entertaining show in particular. Granted, I am pretty much easily entertained when it comes to live music, but I dug the show Evanescence presented. If they happen to come through your area, I can honestly say that you might enjoy the show if you score a ticket.

Read all comments (5)|Write your own comment

Write an essay on this topic.