Review by Ali Burman photos by Adam Rossi
Amy Lee leads an extraordinary night of soaring vocals, spectacular production and genuine emotional connection at the Utilita Arena.
There are arena shows, and then there are arena experiences. Evanescence’s performance at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on 11 September belonged firmly in the second category.
From the moment the lights fell, anticipation swept through the packed venue. When Amy Lee and Evanescence appeared, the atmosphere was electric — and what followed was a performance that combined huge rock dynamics with moments of remarkable intimacy.
The evening had already been given a strong start by K.FLAY, whose distinctive alternative sound and energetic performance immediately captured the crowd’s attention. Poppy followed with an equally striking set, bringing a theatrical and uncompromising presence to the stage. Both support acts made their presence felt rather than simply functioning as placeholders before the headline act.
Then the lights dropped once again, and Evanescence took the stage.
Opening with the title track from their latest album, Sanctuary, the band immediately established an atmosphere of darkness and anticipation before moving through “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough” and “Afterlife.” By the time the opening notes of “Rapture” and “Going Under” rang through the arena, it was clear that this was going to be a night built around both spectacle and emotion.
At the heart of everything was Amy Lee.
There are few voices in modern rock as instantly recognisable. Lee’s ability to move from delicate vulnerability to extraordinary power remains one of Evanescence’s greatest strengths, and live, that contrast is even more compelling.
“Lithium” provided an early example of that vulnerability, allowing Lee’s voice to take centre stage before the intensity gradually returned. As the set continued through “Like You,” “Self Destruct” and “Calm Down,” the band demonstrated just how effectively they can move between atmospheric passages and full-force rock.
And the audience gave everything back.
When “Call Me When You’re Sober” arrived, huge sections of the arena sang along, transforming a familiar favourite into a communal experience. Rather than simply watching Evanescence perform, the crowd became part of the performance itself.
Then came one of the night’s most enjoyable collaborations.
K.FLAY returned to the stage to join Amy Lee and Evanescence for “Fight Like a Girl.” Having already impressed during her support set, her return gave the performance an added sense of occasion and created a memorable connection between the opening act and the headline show.
The emotional intensity continued through “Beautiful Lie,” “Wasted on You” and “Forever Without You,” before the arena erupted once again for “Bring Me to Life.”
Few songs could generate quite the response. The audience’s reaction was enormous, turning one of Evanescence’s most recognisable songs into one of the evening’s defining moments.
Visually, the production was every bit as ambitious as the music.
The stage became a constantly changing landscape of light, shadow and movement. Dramatic lighting heightened the darker material, while enormous bursts of illumination gave the band’s biggest moments the scale they demanded.
One of the night’s most memorable visual features was a rising platform that lifted Amy Lee high above her fellow bandmates, creating some genuinely spectacular images and adding another dimension to an already impressive production.
Importantly, however, the spectacle never overwhelmed the music.
There was also room for the unexpected. Poppy returned to the stage alongside Lee for “End of You,” bringing together two very different performers in a striking collaboration.
As the show moved towards its closing stages, “Who Will You Follow” and “My Immortal” provided another shift in atmosphere.
“My Immortal” was perhaps the most emotionally charged moment of the night. After an evening of towering rock dynamics and spectacular production, the song created a moment of genuine stillness. It was a reminder that Evanescence have never needed spectacle to communicate something powerful. Sometimes, the voice and the song are enough.
The final moments brought the evening to a close with “Wide Open Heart,” leaving the Birmingham crowd with one final surge of energy.
K.FLAY and Poppy provided two impressive and contrasting support performances, but Evanescence ultimately delivered the defining moments of the night.
With spectacular production, dramatic lighting, a band operating at full intensity and Amy Lee at the centre of it all, this was far more than a nostalgic trip through the band’s catalogue.
Evanescence’s music has always existed in the space between darkness and beauty, heaviness and vulnerability. In Birmingham, those contrasts were brought vividly to life.
Amy Lee remains a captivating performer, and her voice retains its extraordinary ability to move effortlessly between vulnerability and power.
This was not simply Evanescence returning to songs from the past.
It was Evanescence reminding everyone why those songs still matter.
VERDICT: 10/10
A spectacular, emotionally charged arena performance in which Amy Lee’s extraordinary voice remained the undisputed centrepiece.
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