June 26, 2026 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel NJ
Review & Photography by Bill Raymond
Powerhouse Voices Unite As Evanescence And Spiritbox Storm New Jersey
The summer air at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, is usually home to lighter rock radio bands, but on June 26, 2026, the open-air amphitheater became a showcase for some of the heaviest and most dynamic voices in modern music. On this stop of their highly anticipated tour, Evanescence brought along an incredible supporting lineup of Spiritbox and Nova Twins, resulting in a bill that felt less like a nostalgia trip and more like a celebration of where heavy rock is heading.
London’s Nova Twins kicked off the evening with a staggering display of genre-fluid punk energy. Guitarist Amy Love and bassist Georgia South possess a rare chemistry, utilizing a complex array of effects pedals to evoke a glitchy, urban electronic texture without sacrificing the raw punch of a live rock band. Tracks like “Antagonist” and “Choose Your Fighter” immediately shook the early arrivals out of their seats.
Following them, progressive metal juggernauts Spiritbox delivered a masterclass in modern tech-metal precision. Frontwoman Courtney LaPlante shifted seamlessly between ethereal, pristine melodies and bone-rattling guttural growls on standout tracks “Circle With Me” and “Jaded.” Backed by Mike Stringer’s meticulously down-tuned guitar, the band created a suffocatingly heavy wall of sound that felt completely tailored for an expansive amphitheater, sending a massive ripple of energy all the way back into the lawn.
When Evanescence took the stage, it was immediately clear that Amy Lee’s artistic vision remains as vital as ever. Rather than leaning strictly on the laurels of their multi-platinum history, the band heavily featured cuts from their new studio album, Sanctuary, seamlessly weaving recent tracks like “Who Will You Follow?” alongside the definitive anthems that shaped the early 2000s alternative landscape.
Lee herself is an absolute force of nature. Sitting at the grand piano for a haunting rendition of “Lithium” or commanding the lip of the stage during “Going Under,” her operatic vocal range possesses the same pristine, crystal-clear power it did decades ago. The dual-guitar framework of Troy McLawhorn and Tim McCord gave the classic arrangements a contemporary, aggressive edge that sounded incredibly vast in the open-air venue.
A spectacular collaborative highlight arrived late in the evening when Courtney LaPlante and the Nova Twins returned to the stage, joining Lee for a triumphant rendition of “Fight Like a Girl.” The sheer vocal and instrumental power of the combined forces felt like the emotional apex of the night. After a breathtaking crowd sing-along during “My Immortal,” the band closed the evening with a performance of “Wide Open Heart,” solidifying Evanescence’s legacy not just as survivors of a bygone era, but as enduring icons of symphonic rock.
For more info please visit http://www.evanescence.com