Evanescence Bring Epic ‘Sanctuary’ Tour to London‘s O2 Arena [Show Review]

Evanescence returned to London on 13 September, bringing their Sanctuary tour to The O2 Arena for a night that combined new material with the songs that have kept the band at the forefront of alternative rock for more than two decades.

Opening the evening was K.Flay, whose mix of rock, electronic music and darker pop provided a strong introduction to the night. Her sound sits comfortably between genres, and her set offered something a little different from the more traditional rock that would follow.

Poppy then took to the stage, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to describe her as simply a support act. Over the past few years she has built a reputation as one of the most interesting artists in heavy music, with her sound becoming progressively heavier and more ambitious. After appearances at major festivals including Download and Rock am Ring, playing an arena of this size feels like another natural step in her rise.

Something about watching Poppy live still feels unpredictable. Her music jumps between industrial metal, pop and alternative rock, and she has developed a visual identity to match. For anyone unfamiliar with her, this was a strong opportunity to see why she has been attracting so much attention.

When the lights finally went down for Evanescence, the O2 crowd responded immediately. The band opened with “Sanctuary,” the title track from their latest album, which has been the opening song at their UK shows so far. It is a confident way to begin a set, putting their newest material front and centre rather than relying immediately on the songs that made them famous.

That said, there is plenty here for longtime fans. The set draws from across Evanescence’s career, with songs including “Going Under,” “Call Me When You’re Sober,” “Lithium,” “Bring Me to Life,” and “My Immortal” sitting alongside the newer material. The setlist covers a lot of ground without making the new album feel like an afterthought.

One of the highlights of the night comes when K.Flay returns to the stage to join Evanescence for “Fight Like a Girl.” Originally released as part of the Ballerina soundtrack, the track has since found a home on Sanctuary, making its inclusion in the set feel particularly fitting.

There is an even bigger surprise later in the set. Poppy joins Evanescence on stage for “End of You”, but the appearance of Courtney LaPlante takes the moment to another level. The song originally brought together Lee, Poppy, and the Spiritbox vocalist, but with Spiritbox now out on their own UK tour, there was little reason to expect LaPlante in London. On the other UK dates, it was only Poppy who joined Evanescence on stage for the song, making LaPlante’s surprise appearance even more unexpected. It also marked the first time all three vocalists have performed “End of You” together live, earning a huge reaction from the crowd and turning this collaboration into one of the night’s biggest moments.

For the rest of the set, Amy Lee remains the centre of everything, with her distinctive voice sounding as powerful as ever. A noticeable contrast emerges between the quieter, more atmospheric moments and the heavier sections of the set, but Lee handles both with ease. The band around her provides the weight needed to make the bigger songs feel suitably huge in an arena setting.

For a band whose breakthrough album Fallen was released more than 20 years ago, there could easily be a temptation to lean heavily on nostalgia. Evanescence instead gives their newer material plenty of room, showing that they are still interested in moving forward rather than simply recreating the past.

There is inevitably a strong sense of nostalgia when the opening notes of songs that have been part of people’s lives for years fill an arena. However, the presence of Sanctuary throughout the set gives the night something beyond a trip down memory lane.

Evanescence have clearly reached the stage where they can celebrate their history without being defined entirely by it. At The O2, that balance makes for a show that should satisfy longtime fans while giving their newer material the attention it deserves.

Evanescence Setlist:

1. Sanctuary
2. Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough
3. Afterlife
4. Rapture
5. Going Under
6. Lithium
7. Like You
8. Self Destruct
9. Calm Down
10. Call Me When You’re Sober
11. Fight Like a Girl (with K.Flay)
12. Beautiful Lie
13. Wasted on You
14. Forever Without You
15. Bring Me to Life
16. Imaginary
17. Better Without You
18. About Us
19. End of You (with Poppy, Amy Lee & Courtney LaPlante)
20. Who Will You Follow
21. My Immortal
22. Wide Open Heart