The story of my introduction to Evanescence is one that never fails to amuse me.
It was the spring of 2003. I would’ve been in the third grade. One night, while I was trying to fall asleep, Dad was in his office. Mind you, we lived in a small mobile home with rather thin walls.
As I attempted to drift off to sleep, he kept playing this same song with a woman singer and a man who sang with her during the chorus. It must’ve played a dozen or so times. I remember being annoyed that he kept playing this song on repeat while I was trying to sleep, but I found the song intriguing nonetheless.
Sometime later, I asked Dad about the song he had been playing. He informed me it was Bring Me to Life by a band called Evanescence, a band name that was difficult for 9-year-old me to pronounce at first.
I started listening to Bring Me to Life on my own and quickly found myself hooked. I remember watching the music video many times on the computer and would see it playing at places such as Blockbuster and Best Buy.
That fall, I would see Evanescence live for the first time, with the original line-up, at the Kansas State Fair. That concert was about six weeks before co-founder Ben Moody left the band due to creative differences. I remember rocking out to both Bring Me to Life and Going Under, the band’s second single from the album Fallen, and politely listening to the rest of the set list, as I hadn’t discovered the rest of the band’s songs.
Evanescence performs at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kansas on Sept. 6, 2003 as part of the Nintendo Fusion Tour.
I didn’t know it then, but that first night of listening to Bring Me to Life on repeat would turn into what is now a 20-year stretch as an Evanescence fan. Today marks 20 years since Fallen was released, and I’ve been there the whole way, with Evanescence always a constant in my life.
In fact, I just saw the band live in Austin at Moody Center just a few days ago. Evanescence (and One OK Rock) opened for Muse on Tuesday night, and I spent all of Ev’s set list rocking out hard to songs from all four albums. It was also glorious to hear Amy Lee mention that it’s been 20 years that Ev fans have been with the band. It was rather surreal seeing Evanescence perform the week of the 20th anniversary.
I’ve now seen Evanescence perform live five times: that first concert in September 2003; in August 2018 during the tour with Lindsey Stirling; in November 2021 during the Evanescence/Halestorm tour; in September 2022 opening for Korn; in February 2023 opening for Muse. I always have an amazing time seeing Evanescence perform live and I can’t wait for more shows in the future, especially if I get the chance to do a meet and greet with the band.
The Evanescence shows I’ve attended since my time living in Texas. From top, left to right, live in Houston with Lindsey Stirling, Aug. 25, 2018; Live at Dickies Arena, Nov. 20, 2021; Live in Houston, Sept. 4, 2022; Live in Austin opening for Muse, Feb. 28, 2023.
As we celebrate 20 years of Fallen, I give my gratitude to Amy Lee for sharing her musical talents with the world and writing music that has always meant so much to me and has resonated with me at every stage in my life. I’ve been an Evanescence fan for two-thirds of my life, and I plan to be a fan for life. Thank you, Amy, and every Evanescence musician through the years. Here’s to the next 20!
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