23 years ago, Evanescence took the stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre as part of Mountain Jam, sharing a festival lineup with Korn, P.O.D., 50 Cent, and several other artists. It was August 30, 2003, just months after the release of Fallen, and the band was in the middle of the extraordinary rise that would make them one of the defining names in alternative rock.
On Monday, October 26, 2026, Evanescence finally returned to Red Rocks for their first headlining performance at the iconic Colorado venue. More than two decades had passed, multiple albums had reshaped their catalog, and an entire generation had grown up with their music. The amphitheater was completely sold out and packed to a degree that stood out even by Red Rocks standards.
I’ve photographed plenty of sold-out shows at Red Rocks, but this one felt exceptionally full. From the lower rows to the top of the amphitheater, the crowd seemed to occupy every available space. There was a sense of anticipation throughout the venue that made the significance of the evening immediately apparent.
The performance marked the final U.S. stop of Evanescence’s 2026 touring schedule before the band continues overseas, bringing their Sanctuary tour back to the very venue where they had performed as an emerging act 23 years earlier.
Opening the evening was K.Flay, whose genre-defying combination of alternative rock, hip-hop, electronic music, and punk energy made her an excellent choice for the show.
Her performance was immediately engaging. K.Flay is an incredibly animated performer, moving through her material with a physical intensity that made it difficult to look away. Her restless stage presence matched the sharp rhythms and heavy electronic textures of her music, and she brought an enormous amount of personality to the opening set.
The set included “Scratch,” “Blood in the Cut,” “Punisher,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Blood Cells,” “Navel,” “High Enough,” and “Ants.” The material offered a good representation of her range, from the abrasive, almost confrontational energy of her heavier songs to the infectious melodies that have made her music so recognizable.
What impressed me most was how naturally she handled such an enormous venue. Red Rocks can be a difficult place for an opening artist to command, particularly when the headliner has a following as dedicated as Evanescence’s. K.Flay approached the performance with the confidence and energy of someone entirely comfortable in front of a crowd of that size.
She was fantastic, and her appearance would become even more memorable later in the night.
When Evanescence finally took the stage, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The band’s cinematic approach to alternative metal feels particularly well suited to Red Rocks, where the towering sandstone formations create a setting unlike almost anywhere else in live music.
Opening with the title track from their latest album, Sanctuary, Evanescence immediately established the darker, more expansive sound of their current era. “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough,” “Afterlife,” and “Rapture” followed, giving the new material a prominent place in the performance before the band returned to earlier favorites.
There is a remarkable confidence in building a set around so much recent material when your catalog includes some of the most recognizable rock songs of the past 25 years. But Sanctuary has given Evanescence a collection of songs that can stand alongside their established classics, with heavier arrangements and an emotional intensity that feels consistent with the band’s identity.
Amy Lee was extraordinary throughout the night. Her voice remains one of the most distinctive in rock music, capable of moving from fragile, intimate passages into powerful, sustained vocals without losing the emotional character of the song. Hearing her perform at Red Rocks was a reminder of just how much her voice has shaped the band’s sound.
The transition into material from 2003’s Fallen brought another level of excitement to the amphitheater. “Going Under” remains an exceptionally powerful song live, and the opening of its familiar guitar riff was enough to demonstrate how deeply that record remains embedded in the memories of its listeners.
The band also revisited 2006’s The Open Door, performing “Lithium,” “Like You,” and “Call Me When You’re Sober.” With the album celebrating its 20th anniversary, hearing these songs alongside the newer material offered an especially interesting look at Evanescence’s development over the past two decades.
“Lithium” and “Like You” allowed a quieter, more vulnerable side of Lee’s songwriting to take the spotlight. Those songs have a different emotional weight than the band’s heavier material, and their inclusion gave the performance room to explore the contrast between tenderness and intensity that has always been central to Evanescence.
The remainder of the set moved confidently between different periods of the band’s career. “Self Destruct,” “Calm Down,” “Beautiful Lie,” and “Forever Without You” represented the current chapter, while “Wasted on You” and “Better Without You” brought material from The Bitter Truth into the mix.
And then there were the moments that reminded everyone just how influential Evanescence’s early music has become. “Bring Me to Life” and “Imaginary” remain essential parts of their catalog, and their presence in the set made a compelling connection between the band that played Mountain Jam in 2003 and the one now headlining the amphitheater.
One of the evening’s biggest highlights came when K.Flay returned to the stage to join Amy Lee for “Fight Like a Girl.” Originally released in 2025 for the film “Ballerina,” the collaboration pairs two distinctive voices around a song built on resistance, strength, and refusing to be silenced.
Having already watched K.Flay deliver such an energetic opening set, seeing her return alongside Lee was particularly satisfying. The two artists brought different strengths to the performance, with K.Flay’s aggressive delivery complementing Lee’s commanding vocals. It was an excellent collaboration and one of those moments that made the night feel genuinely special.
As the show approached its conclusion, “Who Will You Follow” led into “My Immortal,” one of the band’s most emotionally enduring songs. Hearing it performed in an amphitheater filled with thousands of fans who have carried that music through different stages of their lives was particularly affecting.
The evening closed with “Wide Open Heart,” bringing the performance back to Sanctuary and giving the final moments a sense of forward movement. It was a fitting conclusion for a band celebrating its history while continuing to develop its sound.
What made this show stand out was the combination of history and the quality of the performances. K.Flay was exceptional, bringing a level of energy that could easily have supported a headlining show of her own. Evanescence followed with a performance that was musically powerful, emotionally engaging, and worthy of the venue.
The historical significance is difficult to ignore. In 2003, Evanescence were sharing a festival bill with Korn at Red Rocks while Fallen was beginning to reshape their career. On October 26, 2026, they returned to headline a sold-out amphitheater filled with fans who have followed them across generations.
23 years is a long time between performances at the same venue. Watching Evanescence finally claim Red Rocks as headliners, with Amy Lee delivering an extraordinary vocal performance and K.Flay joining her for one of the night’s standout moments, made the wait feel worthwhile.
I’ve attended some remarkable shows at Red Rocks this year, but this one will stay with me. The size of the crowd, the emotional connection to the music, K.Flay’s energy, and the sheer quality of Evanescence’s performance came together for an unforgettable night.
Concert photography by Zack Hartman Photography for The Concert Chronicles.
Listen: Evanescence — Sanctuary | “Fight Like a Girl” featuring K.Flay
Setlists: Evanescence at Red Rocks | K.Flay at Red Rocks
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