Inside Evanescence’s Sanctuary Tour

Some bands come and go. Others become a total permanent part of your life. Evanescence has always been one of those bands for me, and I know I’m not alone in that feeling that way. Whether you've been listening since Fallen first popped onto shelves, or discovered them years later, there's something about their music that really never lets you go. More than twenty years into their career, the band continues to prove they aren't just solely riding the wave of nostalgia. Fresh off the release of their sixth studio album, Sanctuary; slowing down? Doesn’t seem like an option at this moment! They continue to grow while holding onto everything that made fans fall in love with them in the very first place.

For this tour, Spiritbox and Nova Twins joined them for select dates, while other legs have special guests including Poppy and K.Flay. Both versions bring its own unique energy, but the mission remains the same: celebrating the past, present, and future of rock music. In Chula Vista specifically, three killer acts came together to kick things off strong, and there is still so much more to come!

Speaking of Chula Vista, the weather greeted us with the kind of heat that makes you question why you even decided to wear black in the middle of summer, but somehow Nova Twins managed to outshine even the intense sun. From the second they stepped onstage, they had the crowd forgetting about the UV rays and getting hyped up for what was to come. Their sound is unlike anything else on this tour. It's experimental, gritty, funky, heavy, and let’s be so real, effortlessly cool all at the same time.

They're one of those bands you don't necessarily go looking for. They kind of just find you, and before you know it, you're adding all their songs to your playlist during the traffic on the way out of the parking lot. One of the coolest surprises of the set was getting to hear them perform their song "Hummingbird" live for the very first time. It instantly became my favorite. There were moments that reminded me of FKA twigs, blending hypnotic, and total ethereal elements with vibrant energy that felt completely structured on its own. And can we talk about those vocals? Absolutely unreal! Powerful, confident, and impossible to take your attention away from.

Then came Spiritbox, really shifting the atmosphere in a heavier direction. Nova Twins got everyone ready to move, but Spiritbox hit all of us like a train. Their set was the heaviest of the night, no surprise there. Courtney LaPlante continues to prove why she's one of the most respected vocalists in metal right now. Her ability to flip with no strain between her lullaby-like melodies and bone-chilling unclean vocals never stops being impressive, and hearing it live makes it even crazier.

This is a band that has everything wrapped so tightly, with little to no noticeable mistakes. As the sun started setting over the amphitheater during SD Pride weekend, Courtney paused to give a shoutout to "the girls, the gays, and the theys," earning one of the biggest cheers of the evening because honestly... we love her for that.

Their signature bubble effects drifted across the crowd during Tsunami Sea, adding this surreal, dreamlike contrast to the crushing instrumentals. I'll be completely honest: I haven't always considered myself a huge Spiritbox fan. But after seeing them live, I get it. I absolutely get it. They put on one of those performances that leaves you walking away with a whole new appreciation for a band.

And then... Evanescence.

It's hard for me to write about this band without getting a little sentimental. I've been listening to Evanescence for as long as I can remember. I spent so many days locked away in my room with their CDs on repeat, memorizing every lyric and watching every music video, convinced that somehow I could grow up to be Amy Lee. Like so many of us, their music became the soundtrack to parts of my life I didn't always know how to put into words, especially during deep-cut moments.

Seeing them now, all these years later, is honestly still surreal. The emotional impact never fades each time I see them perform, and my heart will always swell when I hear those songs live.

Despite everything the band has been through over the years, lineup changes, shifting music trends, and the constant changing of the rock scene, they've never lost what made them so special. Amy Lee's voice is somehow just as breathtaking today as it was the first time I heard it through a pair of cheap headphones in my bedroom. It's powerful without trying too hard, emotional without ever feeling fake, and every note still carries that Evanescence magic that cast a spell on our hearts from day one.

One thing I was secretly hoping for all night was that San Diego wouldn't follow the rumors I'd seen online about fans leaving during Imaginary. Thankfully, they didn't. The crowd stayed and gave one of my favorite Evanescence songs the moment it deserved.

A little PSA to everyone: concert manners are totally a thing. Staying through an entire performance is just as important as the band showing up to play. You’re a part of the show too, and that energy absolutely matters.

Then came one of the most memorable moments of the night, at least for me.

During Fight Like a Girl, Courtney LaPlante and Nova Twins returned to the stage to perform alongside Amy Lee, creating one of those moments that reminds you why live music is just so damn special. Seeing these incredible women standing together wasn't just exciting because it looked so cool. It felt meaningfully iconic. Women have always had a place in metal, even if they've often had to fight a little harder to prove it.

Watching artists from different generations share one stage felt like a celebration of everything they've contributed to heavy music and everything that's still to come. It felt like exactly what Amy Lee described this tour to be: a moment of women supporting women and women making their place in heavy music known.

And THAT is what made this tour feel so magical.

It never felt like three separate bands simply sharing a bill because they had to. It felt like a full-circle collaboration. A reminder that concerts can be about so much more than selling tickets. They can introduce you to your next favorite band, celebrate the artists who shaped your childhood, and create moments that only exist because everyone decided to share one stage together.

It felt like the best crossover episode ever, and every single one of us got to witness it live.

The tour is still far from over! The next stop is taking place at the Walmart AMP in Rogers, Arkansas, on July 22 before continuing across North America. If this tour is making its way anywhere near you, do yourself a favor and just go! Whether you're there for Evanescence, Spiritbox, Nova Twins, Poppy, K.Flay, or whoever your heart desires, you're walking into a night that celebrates incredible musicianship, unforgettable performances, and the women continuing to redefine what heavy music looks and sounds like.

Photos Provided By: Lindsay Miessner (IG: lost_in_lindsayland)