Support : Arcane Roots Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
14th June 2017
As fans queue in their hundreds to enter Hammersmith Apollo tonight , the question on everyone ’ s lips is “ How long has it been since we last saw Evanescence in the UK ?” For many it ’ s been years and years , and for many of those many it ’ s been a long overdue show to attend . Although Evanescence don ’ t tour in the UK that often , when they do they bring a show that will be remembered for a lifetime , and tonight , the second of only two UK shows , they certainly bring just that .
Opening for Evanescence tonight are Arcane Roots , a trio from the UK who are a more than fitting support for the rock legends . Andrew , Adam and Jack put on a theatrical performance in their own signature way . They play for 40 minutes but only deliver 6 songs , not that anyone is complaining when these songs are as epic and detailed as they are . The riffs are big and the instrumentals are long and complex ; watching the three of them play in these moments is awe-inspiring , they play like this is their own show and it ’ s truly impressive . Before closing with If Nothing Breaks , Nothing Moves , Andrew acknowledges how desperate the crowd must be to see Evanescence , and with that they make way for tonight ’ s headliner .
Like all good rock bands , Evanescence follow a live formula that whips the crowd up into a frenzy of lost inhibitions and pure joy . The band enter stage left first to cheers , and as they begin playing the opening notes of
Everybody ’ s Fool , Amy Lee runs onto the stage to huge applause and screams . It is obvious what this band means to all the fans here tonight and as Amy performs to the lucky fans in the front rows , the whole room is going insane . Evanescence play a long set full of favourites , many from their debut album Fallen . Going Under , Imaginary and Haunted all get plays . My Immortal creates a poignant moment in the night , as Amy performs to acoustic guitar , as if it wasn ’ t spine-tingling enough in its original piano format . Of course , Bring Me To Life also gets it ’ s turn , ending the main part of tonight ’ s performance to a crowd screaming back every word , almost drowning out the band themselves . It ’ s nostalgia for so many in this room and it is epic .
It ’ s not just the classics that are received with open arms however . Songs such as Lithium , Call Me When You ’ re Sober , What You Want and Weight Of The World all sound as epic as the classics , so much so that the now feel like classics in their own right . Evanescence prove tonight that they are a true rock band : from how they interact with the crowd to how they interact with each other , from the drum solos to the unified riffs , to the lighting , to the cleverly chosen setlist . The whole night is just perfect and so worth the years of waiting for the return of a band who will forever be loved by everyone in this room tonight .
Words by Alice Hoddinott
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