There are some experiences in life where you go in with an open mind, surrender yourself completely and still come out saying “this isn’t for me.” That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them while they’re happening, though.
Such was the case for me this past Saturday, when I attended Evanescence’s headlining concert at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, their first homecoming show in more than a decade. While I am not the biggest fan of industrial-flavored goth rock, I braved a sea of die-hard Amy Lee devotees, ones who would go anywhere her darkly angelic voice called, to see what Evanescence had to offer in 2026.
Evanescence — the world-famous, Grammy-winning hard rock outfit formed by frontwoman Amy Lee right here in Little Rock back in 1994 — is known for the mid-2000s mega-hits “Bring Me to Life” (mega-hit doesn’t even cover it with this one) and “My Immortal.” They’ve spent the better part of the last quarter-century as one of the world’s bestselling bands, particularly in their hauntingly bombastic corner of music.
Being a gigantic fan of inherently goofy acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the gravely serious vibe of an Evanescence concert was never going to be my scene. I’ve always had major respect for them and still have a real sense of nostalgia for “Bring Me to Life” (you couldn’t grow up in the 2000s and not hold some degree of adoration for it), but I’ve never really dug through their discography. Still, it was Saturday night and a classic band was on stage. I was stoked to hand the night over to them and throw down.
Nova Twins, a rap-rock duo from London, kicked off the evening. They had a lot more of the playful spirit that I typically look for, and were clearly having a blast on stage, dishing up one dubstep-tinged breakdown after another to an enthusiastic audience. Nova Twins’ sound might not have been for me, but I appreciated their visible enthusiasm, nonetheless.
Next up came Spiritbox, bringing a more somber, oppressive counterpoint to Nova Twins’ tonally-vibrant-yet-sonically-punchy opening set. Fans lit up, but after nearly an hour of getting bludgeoned to death by double-kick bass drums and drowning in a sea of mud-caked, impractically-shaped guitars, I’ll tell you what: I felt that hour.
The crowd went absolutely berserk when Evanescence finally took the stage. I knew people were fond of songs like “Bring Me to Life,” obviously the most bombastic moment of the night, but I had no idea these hometown heroes were still this beloved. Amy Lee has her own leather-clad version of the Swifties. That much is certain.
Evanescence kicked things off hard and heavy with “Sanctuary,” a cut off their new record of the same name, which released last month. The band was on fire. Everything, from the musicality of their show to the way they ran all over the stage, was dialed up to 11. Amy Lee was singing like her life depended on it and the crowd ate every bit up. I haven’t been to a concert this emotional in quite some time and nothing could have prepared me for the amount of tears shed among the audience.
The stage itself was the most over-the-top production for a concert that I’ve ever seen. A massive, crumbling cathedral stood behind Lee and crew for a large chunk of the show. Giant screens showed computer-generated footage of crows flying through dimly-lit dangling chains and post-apocalyptic sci-fi settings, complemented with loads of pyrotechnics. My favorite part was when band members would stand near Will Hunt, where scissor platforms rose out of the floor and carried them dizzyingly high above the stage, up and down, up and down.
Evanescence might not be my jam, but that didn’t matter. They’re great performers and musicians. I had a great time at Simmons Bank Arena this past Saturday night. Little Rock rules, and screw it, so does Evanescence.
