Evanescence - Live in Sydney

Evanescence concluded the Australian leg of their World tour this past Sunday at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Renowned for their inconsistent live performance, ranging from the breath-taking to the downright disappointing, all those in attendance were consumed by nervous energy. Would the Arkansas group send their legions of black clad fans home happy or show signs of fatigue after a long tour?After the uninspiring lighting effects used thus far I was doubtful Evanescence would be much of a spectacle. However, as the black and white curtain retracted, and the American goth rockers launched into Sweet Sacrifice, I was gladly proved wrong. With glittering blue and pink lighting, accompanied by spot-light and halogen tubes, the show had clearly reached its climax. Paying back the faith shown by their supporters, Evanescence churned through a solid 90 minute set showcasing hits from both, break-through album, Fallen and, sophomore effort, The Open Door. The group started slowly but generated more momentum with every second that passed. By the gig's conclusion, the headliner's were bristling with confidence and laughing in the face of would-be detractors with a stellar performance.Evanescence's Achilles heel was that, despite their best efforts, they simply could not draw a sizeable response from the crowd. Arguably, there was more of an atmosphere in the stands than on the floor, where couples and families were in abundance. What is the appeal of getting crushed and not being able to see if you're 12 years old? I have no idea! Apart from clusters of devil horn hand-gesturing fans, whom the band responded to, the audience was restrained, only singing to the most popular songs and never daring to dance. Admittedly, by all accounts, the other Sydney concert saw a much louder crowd response. Furthermore, Evanescence has continually denied the band promotes a Christian agenda despite, the two founding members, Amy Lee and, ex-guitarist, Ben Moody first meeting on a religious youth camp. All of which begs the question, should Lee really be peddling a satanic symbol during her live act? I highly doubt Lucifer is 'rocking out' to My Immortal in the depths of hell and it is clear some of the group's lyrics allude to biblical teachings. No more devil's horns Amy!Despite the aformentioned blemishes, the surprise of the night were Lee's solo piano pieces, namely Good Enough, during which her voice soared. Famous for hitting the high note, the frontwoman also showed an improved ability to sing deeply. There is little doubt that the group is, now, undisputedly lead by its remaining founding member. Although the charisma of, dread-locked head-banging sensation, Terry Balsamo and, scary eye-liner sporting, John LeCompt was infectious. Other stand-out tracks were the crooning Lithium, during which artificial snow descended from the ceiling, and Bring Me to Life. Draped in a black tank-top and pink frock, Amy concluded the concert with a two song encore, only joined by her jovial band mates for the final minutes of Your Star. Leaving the stage to sporadic chanting, Lee once lamented "So go on and scream, scream at me," however, perhaps it would have proved just the remedy this one night in Sydney. Bring me to life!

SOURCE	?	SOUND QUALITY	?	FORMAT	Mp3	BITRATE	?	TRACKS #	?
LOCATION / VENUE		Sydney				DATE		17-02-07
NOTES:		Quite possibly the most comprehensive set of Evanescence Bootlegs on the Web... here. Links not tested.