LIVE REVIEW: Evanescence – Co-Op Live, Manchester – 10/09/2026

A lot of the descriptors that can applied to Evanescence really don’t seem like they should fit. Perhaps it’s because they aren’t as ubiquitous a presence these days, but to call them ‘innovators’ or among the scene’s ’old guard’ just feels a bit weird. And that’s acknowledging how those things are true, at least on a level like this. Bring Me To Life went to Number One in the UK in 2003, a feat that wasn’t a clean fit among the nu-metal boom of the era, let alone how alien it would feel today. It was more gothic and dramatic, and had Amy Lee’s insane vocal size to let it shine. It’s no wonder, therefore, that so many of the women in current alt-metal and hard rock at least share a lineage with what Evanescence laid down over two decades ago.

Thus, seeing them take to a venue like Manchester’s Co-Op Live makes all the sense in the world. Even if they’ll never again be at the level they once were, the default level of Evanescence is of a huge band now. The updraft awarded by new album Sanctuary doesn’t hurt, either; every song from it gets an airing, so there’s clearly faith in its arena-readiness. And with this being their first time in the UK at all since 2023, there’s some real excitement to felt around this one.

It certainly doesn’t start that way, though, with the worst travel issues known to man rendering K.Flay’s opening set a wash. (She does return during Evanescence’s Fight Like A Girl and gets the arena-rock equivalent of a pin-drop reaction when she walks onstage, so make of that what you will.) Instead, it’s down to Poppy to kick off our night, which is probably the better choice. The venue is already rammed, and the prickle of anticipation for an artist who’s become a phenomenon in her own right is palpable. And yeah, it’s definitely not for nothing. If anything, it might be the most consummate that Poppy and her band have ever sounded live, where the open arena space allows for their shapeshifting alt-metal to fully reach the edges. The hulking drums of have you had enough? are a great start, before things really start to grow. The danceable thump of crystallized; the acoustic-headed melodies of vital; the industrialised chug of V.A.N; all are entirely distinct, but never an awkward gearshift.

As for Poppy herself, she’s a performer who’s clear at home on a stage of this size. Other than her porcelain doll head tilts on Scary Mask, the persona of an uncanny waif is basically just window dressing now, replaced by her own approximation of a stalwart arena-rocker. There’s still a degree of oddity that’s appreciated, though, even when that can sometimes manifest in screams that sound more like pained animals. Still, Poppy remains an almight presence, simply through visual intrigue alone. In her white dress with her masked band and a torrent of formidable alt-metal, she remains difficult to pinpoint to this day—far from a novelty, but unable to pigeonholed, more now than ever.

As for Evanescence, they’re a much more stable sonic presence. You’d expect that from a legacy act (another tag that seems like it shouldn’t fit, but does), and even if they aren’t the most dynamic or high-octane of prospects, there’s the mighty feel of a band who’ve clawed their way up to this level. Evanescence sound imperious, and Amy Lee is in full powerhouse mode throughout. Right from the beginning with Sanctuary, the unmistakable grandeur that’s always characterised her voice is on full display. For a set that leans heavily on Evanescence’s pummeling, low-hanging later fare, it’s the best move to make.

It’s worth taking a brief sidebar to mention the crowd, who seem to have caught a lot of heat online after the fact for seeming inactive and…well, a bit bored. It true that they don’t appear to be the liveliest bunch, but there’s no atmosphere destroyed because of it. If anything, you feel the weight of Evanescence’s presence even more, musically more than anything. Emma Anzil brings an utterly crushing bass tone, peaking early with Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough but never outright fizzling from there. Will Hunt on drums really throws himself in, too, to where it’s clearly a Herculean feat of restraint to not give him the arena-mandated drum solo. And, of course, the guitars from Troy McLawhorn and Tim McCord are loaded with cold, early-days alt-metal rapture that always lands.

Really, though, you’re here for Lee; everyone is. She’s the face of the band (literally, given most of their album covers), the only original member left, and the inarguable reason for Evanescence’s lasting stature. And it speaks volumes how, so far past their commercial peak, she still carries herself in that way. Again, the new album gets every one of its tracks played, filling up over half of the set, and there’s little fatigue or serious drop-off. Instead, Lee is a dominating force, hitting both the highs and devastating lows that most singers would be eternally envious of. In fact, Evanescence have even got a brand new piano-ballad in their arsenal in Forever Without You, and it already feels like an all-timer of a tearjerker.

Bring Me To Life coming directly afterwards almost feels like a reprieve. Yeah, this isn’t the closer, for whatever reason. Not that it matters in the moment, of course. It’s one of the defining rock hits of the early 2000s, memed to the moon and back but utterly full-force for its duration. Honestly, when it ends, it can feel like Evanescence are spinning their wheels a bit to carry on. It’s only natural when the song isn’t the last one, and it’s not the only instance of it, either. After the one-two of Going Under and Lithium comes Like You, a deep cut brought out for the 20th anniversary of The Open Door, and with as little spark as it generates, you can tell it’s been collecting dust for a while. Later, the residual bedazzlement of Call Me When You’re Sober is so strong that no one seems to notice / care that K.Flay’s back for Fight Like A Girl.

In terms of collaborations, there’s a much warmer reaction when Poppy returns for End Of You. Even sans Courtney LaPlante and, thus, a third of its hype down, both she and Lee sound great together, and it’s a monster of a moment that Evanescence’s set is built on. It’s impressive how fire and the usual big-show bric-a-brac are made to feel impactful when they’re relatively sparing, but it’s true here. (When fire does first emerge for Calm Down, it looks like it’s inadvertently spreading across the curtains at the side of the stage, which probably contributes to that.) Even when the guitars and drums are lifted on hydraulic platforms—the stock-standard practice of arena showmanship that it is—it elicits some genuine excitement.

It’s worth stressing, too, that none of this feels like some Show For The Ages or anything. With as many bands that are breaking into this space, especially in metal, Evanescence have their work cut out for them to follow suit. But at the same time, they’ve been going for so long with such inconsistency that reaching this point is already a tremendous win. Nostalgia may be getting people through the door, but it’s not the what’s keeping them here; Evanescence are just that strong these days. And while Wide Open Heart is far from a quintessential note to end on, My Immortal directly before is, where Lee’s gorgeous voice and piano playing is an impeccable reminder of where this band’s best lies. Even now, it can be right up there.

Words by Luke Nuttall