Wednesday’s triple-header at YouTube Theater featuring Evanescence, Halestorm, and Plush was pure rock and roll bliss. It was as if, for one brief moment, the live music stars aligned simultaneously allowing fans to let loose and rock out after two long years in solitary confinement. Make no mistake, Evanescence and Halestorm are two of the hottest bands on the planet and Plush is destined for greatness in the not-so-distant future.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve missed concerts. With shows starting to spring back to life, I’ve really been looking for that one breakthrough performance that might signal live music is alive and well in conditions many consider to be our “new normal.” I’ve been fortunate to be front and center for many shows over the past couple of months, and only a few top-to-bottom knocked my socks off. That changed on Wednesday night courtesy of Evanescence, Halestorm, and Plush.
Kicking off the festivities at the amazing YouTube Theater in Inglewood was an up-and-coming, all-female rock band known simply as Plush. I’d never seen or heard of the band prior to them taking the stage, however I can honestly say these incredible musicians (all under 21, I may add) blew me away with their sound, swagger, and stage presence during a killer 30-minute opening set. If you don’t know who Moriah Formica, Brooke Colucci, Bella Perron, or Ashley Suppa are today, you will shortly.
Next up was Halestorm. Fronted by none other than the incomparable Lzzy Hale, their set was one for the ages and torqued up an already raucous crowd to incredible new levels. Halestorm kicked off their 11-song set with a more recent release in “Back from the Dead” and proceed to ignite a cache of dynamite with hits like “I Get Off,” “Freak Like Me,” and “Uncomfortable,” while Amy Lee of Evanescence joined Lzzy on stage against her trademark piano for “Break In.” Halestorm wrapped their amazing set with fan favorite “I Miss the Misery,” in which Lzzy literally held her trademark scream for dang near a minute if not longer! Hats off to Lzzy, Arejay, Joe, and Josh for one incredible performance Wednesday night.
Now onto the main course, Evanescence. It’s taken me 25+ years to see this band live (why I do not know), and I eagerly awaited their triumphant return to the stage here in Los Angeles when the tour was announced earlier this year. As lights dimmed at YouTube, vocalist Amy Lee magically appeared as a silhouette high above the stage as the band launched into “Broken Pieces Shine” from this year’s release, The Bitter Truth—and truth be told I was floored from her very first note and it only got better from that point forward.
Over the next hour and a half, fans were mesmerized by Evanescence’s brilliant 18-song set consisting of new releases and classics from their earliest albums including “Going Under,” “Better Without You,” and “Imaginary.” Lzzy Hale returned the favor and again joined Amy on stage for an emotional cover of Linkin Park’s “Heavy,” which was one of the evening’s high points by far. The set wrapped up with “Bring Me to Life,” (which is my favorite from their catalog), and it did not disappoint. Amy Lee’s voice was pure magic.
At the end of the day, Wednesday’s triple-header might be best summed up by a few special fans I was chatting with up at the rail—father and daughter super-fans Jim and Delainey Brock. They were following the tour, hitting multiple stops in California and Nevada, and had this to say about the evening’s festivities at YouTube: “We had a great time last night. Plush was awesome, Halestorm f’n rocked, and Amy’s voice was in prime shape. A great night all around!” Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Take my advice and grab tickets for this show when they roll through your town; it was truly a magical experience and one not to be missed.
PLUSH
HALESTORM
EVANESCENCE
