Some summer tours feel built around nostalgia. Evanescence’s recent stop at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia, was instead celebrating a career that stretches more than two decades while proving the band still has something new to say.
With Nova Twins and Spiritbox opening, the evening wasn’t simply a package tour, it was a showcase of how heavy music continues to evolve.
On June 27, that excitement delivered one of the strongest rock packages to roll through Bristow this year. Three bands. Three completely different personalities. One crowd.
By the time the lights dimmed, fans packed into the amphitheater wearing everything from vintage Fallen shirts to Spiritbox hoodies that had clearly been picked up earlier in the evening. Different generations. Different corners of rock and metal. One crowd.
The opening act, Nova Twins wasted absolutely no time getting comfortable. From the opening punch of “Antagonist,” the British duo attacked the stage with the kind of confidence that immediately wins over people who may have never heard them before.
Watch the official music video for “Antagonist” by Nova Twins on YouTube:
Amy Love stalked the front of the stage while Georgia South unleashed one thunderous bass line after another, creating a sound far larger than two people should reasonably produce. The duo have become one of rock’s most exciting live acts and since their founding in 2014, the pair have opened for some of the biggest names in the business, such as Muse, Yungblud, Lenny Kravitz, and the Foo Fighters. Saturday night’s performance demonstrated why.
“Cleopatra” and “Sandman” kept the momentum rolling before “Choose Your Fighter” turned into one of the first crowd participation moments of the evening. Their mix of punk attitude, metal grooves, and hip-hop swagger felt refreshing rather than forced. Songs like “Monsters” carried a raw edge that fit perfectly in the outdoor setting, while “Glory” closed the set on a high note that left plenty of fans talking during the changeover.
Sometimes opening bands simply warm up the audience but Nova Twins did something better. They crushed it.
If Nova Twins got people moving, Spiritbox dropped the hammer and took the atmosphere somewhere much heavier.
Courtney LaPlante remains one of modern metal’s most compelling vocalists, shifting from soaring melodies to crushing screams without making either feel like a gimmick. Opening with “Black Rainbow” immediately established the tone, while “Perfect Soul” and “Keep Sweet” highlighted just how much range the band packs into its songs.
The rhythm section hit with machine-like precision throughout “Cellar Door” and “Jaded,” giving guitarist Mike Stringer plenty of room to layer atmospheric textures over massive riffs. Live, Spiritbox has figured out something many younger bands still chase. They balance technical musicianship with songs that actually stick in your head.
Watch the official music video for “Cellar Door” by Spiritbox on YouTube:
“The Void” and “Tsunami Sea” built steadily before “Circle With Me” finally tipped the crowd into full voice. Even fans who had clearly come only for Evanescence found themselves cheering after nearly every song.
The final stretch packed the biggest punch. “Rotoscope,” “Sew Me Up,” “Holy Roller,” and “Soft Spine” landed one after another like heavyweight combinations. By the time they walked offstage, Spiritbox seemed less like an opening act and more like a future headliner waiting for its turn.
By the time Evanescence took over, the evening had already earned its keep. That is the nice thing about a stacked bill like this. The headliner does not have to start from zero because the room is already lit As darkness finally settled over Bristow, anticipation shifted into something closer to electricity. The opening notes of the title track to their new album, “Sanctuary” echoed through the venue. When the stage lights came up, Amy Lee stood center stage in black, commanding attention before singing a single full verse.
The crowd’s reaction said everything.
Watch the official visuaziler for “Sanctuary” by Evanescence on YouTube:
Lee’s voice has aged beautifully. If anything, it carries more control and emotional depth now than during the band’s early arena years. She doesn’t overpower songs. She lets them breathe.
Rather than leaning heavily on early hits, Evanescence opened with several newer songs, to support their brand new album, Sanctuary. “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough,” “Afterlife,” and “Rapture” established that this wasn’t going to be a greatest hits show dressed up as something else. The newer material carried real weight, fitting naturally beside classics instead of interrupting them. That confidence paid off.
When “Going Under” finally arrived, thousands of singing fans instantly found another gear. The familiar riff triggered one of the night’s biggest singalongs before “Lithium” slowed the pace, allowing Lee’s vocals to float above the band with remarkable clarity. One subtle detail stood out throughout the night. Lee never treated the audience like spectators. Between songs, she smiled often, thanked the crowd sincerely, and let the music speak without long speeches interrupting the pace.
“Like You,” “Self Destruct,” and “Calm Down” continued a set that constantly shifted between delicate moments and explosive choruses without feeling disjointed.
One thing Evanescence has always done well is balancing beauty with aggression, and Saturday’s performance leaned into both sides. “Call Me When You’re Sober” remained as sharp and infectious as ever, while “Beautiful Lie” and “Wasted on You” highlighted how much the band’s songwriting has matured over the years. There’s still darkness in these songs, but there’s also resilience. They feel lived in rather than simply dramatic.
“Forever Without You” added another emotional peak before the unmistakable opening of “Bring Me to Life” sent nearly everyone in attendance to their feet. It’s one of those songs that somehow belongs equally to the band and to the audience now.
Watch the official music video for “Bring Me to Live” by Evanescence featuring Paul McCoy on YouTube:
Instead of riding that momentum straight to the finish, Evanescence kept expanding the story.
“Imaginary” sounded gorgeous beneath the changing lights, while “Better Without You” brought back the heavier edge. Newer tracks including “About Us,” “Fight Like a Girl,” and “Who Will You Follow” demonstrated a band that isn’t interested in becoming its own tribute act. That’s harder than it sounds. Plenty of legacy bands talk about moving forward, but Evanescence actually does it. If “Bring Me to Life” was the emotional high point, “My Immortal” became the emotional release.
Thousands of phone lights illuminated the amphitheater as Amy Lee sat behind the piano, letting the song breathe naturally without unnecessary theatrics. The silence between the notes carried almost as much weight as the music itself. Those are rare concert moments and you can’t manufacture them.
Rather than ending on melancholy, Evanescence closed with “Wide Open Heart,” sending fans back into the warm Virginia night on an uplifting note that felt surprisingly fitting after such an emotionally layered performance.
From Nova Twins opening with “Antagonist,” through Spiritbox leveling the crowd with “Holy Roller,” to Evanescence balancing brand-new songs with staples like “Going Under,” “Lithium,” “Bring Me to Life,” and “My Immortal,” the evening never lost its momentum. It was a reminder that rock music doesn’t have to choose between honoring its history and writing its next chapter. On a warm June night in Bristow, all three bands showed there’s still plenty left to say, and judging by the reaction from the packed crowd at Jiffy Lube Live, people are more than ready to keep listening.
Nova Twins set list
1. Antagonist
2. Cleopatra
3. Sandman
4. Choose Your Fighter
5. Monsters
6. Glory
Spiritbox setlist
1. Black Rainbow
2. Perfect Soul
3. Keep Sweet
4. Cellar Door
5. Jaded
6. The Void
7. Tsunami Sea
8. Circle With Me
9. Rotoscope
10. Sew Me Up
11. Holy Roller
12. Soft Spine
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. Beautiful Lie
12. Wasted on You
13. Forever Without You
14. Bring Me to Life
15. Imaginary
16. Better Without You
17. About Us
18. Fight Like a Girl
19. Who Will You Follow
20. My Immortal
21. Wide Open Heart
Here are some photos of Evanescence performing live at Jiffy Lube Live on June 27, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
Here are some photos of Nova Twins performing live at Jiffy Lube Live on June 27, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
Here are some photos of Spiritbox performing live at Jiffy Lube Live on June 27, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
