What happens when two of rock’s biggest female singers join forces to rework one of their previously released tracks?
You get this gem.
On Friday (Aug. 7), Halestorm released a live version of their 2012 song, “Break In.” This time, the track not only features frontwoman Lzzy Hale singing the lyrics but also Evanescence’s Amy Lee.
The almost-five-minute clip features both Hale and Lee in the studio recording the track. But before you think the two musicians are violating any current regulations about distance due to the pandemic, this video was actually shot before we were all sent into lockdown.
“We recorded this duet pre-COVID-19, together in the same room, live, as a full performance from beginning to end,” Hale explains to Rolling Stone.
“Amy brought new meaning to this song, turning what was once just a love song into a statement of unity and support for each other.”
Watch the live music video for “Break In” above.
This duet version of “Break In” will be featured on Halestorm’s upcoming EP, Halestorm Reimagined.
The six-song record will feature reworked versions of some of the band’s tracks, including “I Get Off” and “I am the Fire,” as well as a cover of Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”
Halestorm Reimagined is due out Aug. 14 through Atlantic Records. Pre-orders are currently available for purchase on Halestorm’s website.
Evanescence is back and giving us a new spin on a classic song.
On Thursday (Jan. 9), the Arkansas-founded band released their version, and the accompanying music video, for their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s classic track “The Chain.” The remake finds the group taking the 1977 tune and making it their own by adding their signature dramatic and operatic flare (like you expected anything less from Amy Lee and company?).
“This cover was so fun to make. We love Fleetwood Mac and wanted to paint a dark and epic picture with our take on ‘The Chain,’” the band said in a post.
“The lyrics make me feel the power of standing together against great forces trying to pull us apart, perhaps even from the inside. I really wanted to drive that home in our version, and even made everyone in the band sing by the end of it! We’re beyond excited to share this with our fans, and I’m really looking forward to playing it live.”
The updated version of “The Chain” is featured in the trailer for Xbox Game Studios’ latest entry of their massively popular “Gears of War” series, “Gears 5.”
Watch the post-apocalyptic music video for “The Chain” above.
Evanescence’s 2020 is already shaping up to be a busy one. The group is scheduled to appear at the Download Festival in Tokyo at the end of March and then hop on over to Europe for their joint Worlds Collide tour with Within Temptation.
After spending most of April on the European touring circuit, the act will return to North America for two headlining gigs (The Fillmore in Minneapolis on May 14 at the MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus on May 15) and an appearance at the Sonic Temple Art and Music Festival.
Evanescence’s upcoming tour itinerary can be found here.
Evanescence’s last studio album was their symphonic album Synthesis, which was released in 2017.
Look out, Evanescence fans because the band is about to hit the road once again this spring. On Monday (Feb. 4), the Arkansas-founded act announced plans to embark on a short tour around their previously scheduled music festival appearances. Set to take place during the month of May, the tour will include stops in Washington D.C, New Orleans, Atlanta, Bethlehem, and more.
The ten-stop jaunt begins on May 5 at the Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood, Florida and concludes a few weeks later on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Pre-sale tickets for the upcoming tour go on sale on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. local time. General ticket sales begin this Friday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. local time.
Unlike the group’s past tour which found them surrounded by an orchestra and performing different version of their hit songs, it looks like this outing will find the band returning to their rocking roots.
The upcoming tour dates will also include several appearances at spring/summertime music festivals including Welcome to Rockville in Jacksonville, Florida; MMRBQ Festival in Camden, New Jersey; Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin; Epicenter Festival in Concord, North Carolina; and Impact Festival in Bangor, Maine.
For fans of the band, the short tour should not come as much of a surprise as frontwoman Amy Lee had previously said that the band members wanted to get reacquainted with one another before hitting the recording studio.
“I think it’s gonna be cool that instead of getting on a long tour, next year is sort of an open year for getting inspired and being creative and getting together to play a few shows also,” said Lee in an interview with Philadelphia rock station 93.3 WMMR.
“So we have the time to get together and feel each other, be a band, but also there’s room all around us for us to go, ‘Okay. That was fun. I’ve got an idea. How about next week? Is everybody free? Let’s get together.’”
The full list of tour dates can be found below.
EVANESCENCE SPRING 2019 TOUR DATES:
May 3 — Jacksonville, FL – Welcome To Rockville
May 5 — Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Event Center
May 7 — New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
May 9 — Atlanta, GA – Coca Cola Roxy Theater
May 10 — Concord, NC – Epicenter Festival
May 12 — Coraopolis, PA – UPMC Events Center *
May 14 — Bethlehem, PA – Sands Bethlehem Event Center
May 15 — Washington, DC – The Anthem
May 18 — Camden, NJ – MMRBQ Festival
May 19 — Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
July 18 — Cadott, WI – Rock Fest
July 28 — Bangor, ME – Impact Festival
Tool, Korn, Rob Zombie, and Incubus are some of the bands slated to make their way to north Florida in the spring for the ninth annual Welcome to Rockville. On Monday (Dec. 3), Danny Wimmer Presents unleashed the full lineup for next year’s edition of the annual rock and metal-centric music festival.
Joining the aforementioned acts on the event’s roster will be the Prodigy, Bring Me the Horizon, Evanescence, Chevelle, Flogging Molly, Killswitch Engage, Circa Survive, Tom Morello, Shinedown, and Judas Priest, who will make their Welcome to Rockville debut.
“Judas Priest are primed and ready to unleash new Firepower with full metal fury on the USA again as we are one of the headliners at Welcome To Rockville in Jacksonville, Florida! The Priest is back!” lead vocalist Rob Halford said in a press statement.
Chris Kilmore of Incubus adds: “We’re excited to return to Jacksonville and play at Welcome to Rockville in 2019! There are some great bands on the bill and we can’t wait to see our friends in Tool, the Prodigy, as well as many others. See you there!”
As if the lineup for next year’s event wasn’t enough, festival organizers also revealed that the yearly event has expanded from two days to three.
Dubbed “Florida’s Biggest Rock Experience,” the music festival will return to its longtime home of Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Florida during the weekend of May 3-5.
Last year’s event was certificated sold out with a whopping 90,000 attendees showing up for the two-day event.
Tickets for Welcome to Rockville go on sale this Friday, Dec. 7, at noon EST. Tickets available include weekend general admission, weekend VIP, single-day general admission, and single-day VIP. For more information about the lineup, tickets, or general questions, head on over to Welcome to Rockville’s website.
For now, the complete daily music lineup can be seen below.
Evanescence is ready to hit the road once again this year in support of their latest album, but this time around, they will be taking a special guest with them for the full journey. On Tuesday (March 6), the Arkansas-founded band announced plans to hit the road during the months of July, August, and September. The upcoming North American tour, which has not been given an official name, will kick off on July 7 at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. and conclude two months later on Sept. 8 at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre in Ridgefield, Wash.
Hitting the road alongside the group during their summertime excursion will be electric violinist Lindsey Stirling.
“We’re very excited to announce our summer North American 2018 tour with Lindsey Stirling across the US – Synthesis style, with a live orchestra,” the band writes in a press statement on their website.
Exclusive artist pre-sales and VIP packages will become available beginning this Wednesday, March 7, at 10 am local time in each city. Pre-sales can be accessed by using the code HILO18. Evanescence is currently offering two different packages to choose from: the Synthesis Pre-Show Experience with Evanescence and the Evanescence Synthesis Soundcheck Experience. More information about the VIP packages can be found on the band’s website.
The upcoming joint tour announcement should not come as much of a surprise for anyone who follows Stirling on social media. On Monday, the musician posted a short video of her being interviewed by someone off camera. In the clip, she is asked if she is a fan of Evanescence and admits that she may have been a casual fan during her middle school days.
As the camera zooms out, the viewer sees how much of a “casual” fan she really is as band posters litter her wall, an Evanescence pillow is laying right next to her, and she is dressed in an Evanescence band tee. As if that wasn’t enough, Stirling’s phone begins to ring during the interview to “Bring Me to Life.” When she looks at the phone she sees that she has a text message from Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee asking if she had any plans for the summer. Cue Stirling’s squeal.
Last year, Evanescence released their fourth studio album Synthesis. The record, which was released in November of 2017, featured reworked versions of the band’s previous material with an orchestral arrangement and electronic music elements. The album also featured two never-before-heard songs.
As for Stirling, the musician competed on season 25 of Dancing with the Star in the fall of 2017. Alongside partner Mark Ballas, the violinist came in second place. Around the same time, she released her fourth studio album, Warmer in the Winter. The album featured guest appearances by Becky G, Trombone Shorty, All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth, and former Disney star Sabrina Carpenter.
EVANESCENCE / LINDSEY STIRLING SUMMER 2018 TOUR DATES:
July 6 – Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, MO
July 7 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
July 9 – DTE Energy Music Theatre – Detroit, MI
July 10 – Ravina – Highland Park, IL
July 12 – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Noblesville, IN
July 14 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
July 17 – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ
July 18 – Xfinity Center – Mansfield, MA
July 20 – PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
July 21 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
July 24 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA
July 25 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
July 27 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, Canada
July 28 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY
Aug. 10 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
Aug. 11 – Northwell Heath at Jones Beach Theatre – Wantagh, NY
Aug. 14 – Heritage Park Amphitheater – Simpsonville, SC
Aug. 15 – TBD – Atlanta, GA
Aug. 17 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater – Tampa, FL
Aug. 18 – Coral Sky Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL
Aug. 20 – Daily’s Place – Jacksonville, FL
Aug. 22 – Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square – New Orleans, LA
Aug. 24 – Starplex Pavilion – Dallas, TX
Aug. 25 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Woodlands, TX
Aug. 28 – Isleta Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
Aug. 29 – Ak-Chin Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ
Aug. 31 – Mattress Firm Amphitheatre – Chula Vista, CA
Sept. 1 – Five Point Amphitheater – Irvine, CA
Sept. 5 – Shoreline Amphitheater – Mountain View, CA
Sept. 7 – White River Amphitheatre – Auburn, WA
Sept. 8 – Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre – Ridgefield, WA
Earlier this year, Evanescence confirmed that they had plans to release a new record some time in 2017. While an official release date has yet to be given, the group did give their fans some great news to hold them over until that date is revealed. On Monday (Aug. 14), the Arkansas-founded act announced plans to hit the road during the fall months. The upcoming tour, which has been dubbed “Synthesis Live,” will kick off on Oct. 14 at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas and wrap up almost two months later on Dec. 19 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon.
Like the group’s upcoming record, the tour will feature the band re-imagining some of their best-loved songs with the spotlight on not only the band and frontwoman Amy Lee’s incredible voice and piano-playing skills, but also on electronics and the full orchestra they brought in.
“This is a total passion project for me. There are so many layers in our music, underneath the huge drums and guitars,” begins Lee in a statement about the group’s decision to take this route for their upcoming album and tour. “I’ve always wanted to shine a light on some of the gorgeous David Campbell arrangements and programming elements in our songs, and that idea snowballed into completely re-doing them with full orchestra, not just strings, elaborate programming and experimentation.”
Tickets for the upcoming tour will go on sale beginning this Friday, Aug. 18, but “Synthesis Live” fan and VIP pre-sales will begin Tuesday, Aug. 15. Every ticket sold will include a download of Synthesis once it is officially released in the fall. But for fans who cannot wait until the fall to hear the new album, the band has revealed that all ticket buyers will get an instant download of their re-worked version of “Bring Me to Life” which will become available on all streaming services and digital store Friday.
For fans who are interested in the VIP packages, the group will offer several for all budgets. Packages range from getting the best seat in the house to enjoying some champagne and hanging out with the band. For full details about the upcoming tour and the VIP packages available, head on over to Evanescence’s website here.
Currently, the group is still in the studio putting the finishing touches on Synthesis. In addition to Synthesis including re-imagined versions of their old songs, the upcoming release will also feature two brand new songs from Evanescence. For now, the complete list of upcoming tour dates can be seen below.
SYNTHESIS LIVE TOUR DATES:
October 14 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl Concert Theater
October 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
October 17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
October 20 – Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
October 22 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Irving Music Factory
October 23 – New Orleans, LA @ Mahalia Jackson Theater
October 25 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
October 27 – Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
October 28 – Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
October 30 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts
October 31 – Oxon Hill, MD @ MGM National Harbor
November 2 – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theater
November 3 – Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Resort Casino
November 5 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
November 7 – Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Bethlehem Event Center
November 8 – Baltimore, MD @ Hippodrome Theatre
November 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
November 30 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
December 2 – Carmel, IN @ The Palladium
December 5 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
December 6 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theatre
December 8 – Toronto, ON @ Canada Sony Centre for Performing Arts
December 9 – Windsor, ON @ Canada Caesar’s Windsor
December 11 – Kansas City, MO @ Kansas City Music Hall
December 13 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
December 15 – Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
December 16 – San Francisco, CA @ Masonic Auditorium
December 19 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Last month, Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee unveiled plans to release a children’s album which would feature original as well as well-known children’s songs. Earlier this month, she debuted the whimsical music video for the album’s title track, “Dream Too Much.” On Friday (Sept. 30), Lee released the music video for another song from the album; “If You’re a Star.” Like the clip for “Dream Too Much,” the video features the lyrics of the song coming to life. (Don’t be sad. The little sheep makes it home in the end.)
“The video is meant to illustrate that we’re never alone. That we’re not so different, all across the world,” Lee said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “All you have to do is look up to remember that we are all under the same very big sky, maybe even wishing on the same star.”
Watch the music video for “If You’re a Star” below.
“If You’re a Star” will join “Dream Too Much” on Dream Too Much. Dream Too Much was officially released today, exclusively on Amazon Music. Dream Too Much features seven original songs as well as five kid-friendly covers including Sesame Street’s “Rubber Duckie,” The Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye,” and “Goodnight My Love.”
At the time of the album’s announcement, Lee had revealed that the record would be a family affair. Her father, uncle, siblings, and two-year-old son Jack all make appearances on the newly released album. “Every song on this album has a story – whether it’s an original for our son based on his favorite things or a song my dad used to sing to me when I was a little girl. I can’t begin to tell you how fulfilling this project has been.”
Evanescence may be ready to hit the touring circuit again, but before hitting the road in the fall, frontwoman Amy Lee has a project to release. Last month, the songstress announced plans to release a children’s album titled Dream Too Much in late September. On Wednesday (Sept. 7), Lee release the animated music video for the first single, and title track from the album, “Dream Too Much.” The three-minute clip features the array of characters featured in the song coming to life in the form of paper origami as they mimic the lyrics of the song. Watch the whimsical video below.
When Lee first announced plans to release the children’s album, she revealed that it would be a family affair with her father, uncle, siblings, and two-year-old son Jack making appearances on the record.
“This album is very personal to me. My husband and I had our first baby in 2014 and he has been the center of the inspiration for this children’s album,” explained Lee in a statement. “Every song on this album has a story – whether it’s an original for our son based on his favorite things or a song my dad used to sing to me when I was a little girl. I can’t begin to tell you how fulfilling this project has been.”
Dream Too Much will feature seven original songs as well as five kid-friendly covers including Sesame Street’s “Rubber Duckie,” The Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye,” and “Goodnight My Love.” Pre-orders for Dream Too Much are currently available on Amazon Music where the record will exclusively be released on Sept. 30.
After some random tour dates earlier this year, Evanescence has announced a full tour for the fall. On Monday (Aug. 22), the Arkansas-founded band revealed plans to hit the road during the months of October and November. The 16-dates tour is set to kick off on Oct. 28 at the South Side Ballroom in Dallas and wrap up a little under a month later on Nov. 23 at the Paramount in Huntington, NY.
General ticket sales for the shows are set to go on sale beginning this Thursday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. local time. For those fan who are part of the Evanescence fan club, ticket sales will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m. local time. For more information about the tour and other Evanescence-related things, head on over to the band’s website here.
This tour also marks their first with new guitarist Jen Majura, who joined the group in 2015. “Just when you thought I was off the hard stuff! It’s going to feel amazing to step back onstage with the band this fall,” frontwoman Amy Lee explained to Rolling Stone in a recent interview. “We had such a tight gel solidifying onstage the last few shows, and were enjoying it so much, we were all lamenting that it was so short and have been on the lookout for more opportunities to play live. ”
The tour news comes a couple of days after Lee announced her new project; a children’s album titled Dream Too Much. The album, which will be released exclusively on Amazon Music on Sept. 30, will feature kid-friendly versions of Sesame Street’s “Rubber Duckie,” The Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye,” and “Goodnight My Love.”
For now, the complete list of Evanescence’s fall tour dates can be seen below.
EVANESCENCE FALL 2016 TOUR DATES:
10/28 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
10/30 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
11/1 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at the Moody Theater
11/3 – San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre
11/5 – Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
11/6 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
11/9 – Mobile, AL @ Saenger Theatre
11/10 – St. Augustine, FL @ St Augustine Amphitheater
11/12 – Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds
11/13 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason
11/15 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
11/16 – Greenville, SC @ Peace Concert Hall
11/18 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
11/19 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Harrah’s Atlantic City
11/22 – Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theatre
11/23 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
South Florida’s SunFest has just announced its 2016 lineup. After teasing longtime festival goers for the past couple of weeks, the longtime Florida music festival has unveiled the lineup for the 2016 edition. On Monday (Feb. 22), festival organizers revealed a lineup that will feature a little bit of everything to satisfy every music taste. On the bill for this year’s event will be Duran Duran, Death Cab for Cutie, Bastille, Walk the Moon, ZZ Top, Flogging Molly, Fitz and the Tantrums, the newly revived Evanescence, as well as a couple of recent Grammy winners like Alabama Shakes and Meghan Trainor.
“We are very excited about this year’s lineup,” SunFest Executive Director Paul Jamieson said in a statement. “We have a great mix of acts, featuring today’s hottest acts alongside legendary performers. The music festival marketplace has been growing over the past few years, but we know as do our fans know, there is no better place to enjoy music than along the waterfront in West Palm Beach.”
The 34th annual SunFest will take place from Wednesday, April 27 to Sunday, May 1 in downtown West Palm Beach. One-day tickets are $35 while two-day passes are $55. Ticket for the full five days will set you back $75. But keep in mind, these prices will remain until March 11; after that, ticket prices will increase.
For more information about the music festival or the lineup, head on over to SunFest’s website. Check out the list below in print and in the official flyer for the event.
SunFest 2016 Lineup: Duran Duran, Alabama Shakes, Meghan Trainor, Train, Jason Derulo, Steve Aoki, Death Cab for Cutie, G-Eazy, Slightly Stoopid, ZZ Top, Bastille, Walk the Moon, The Roots, Fitz and The Tantrums, Capital Cities, Evanescence, Flogging Molly, Andy Grammer, Rick Springfield, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Salt N Pepa, Goldfinger, Shovels & Rope, Lukas Graham, Butch Trucks & The Freight Train Band, The Joy Formidable, Coleman Hell, Judah & The Lion, The Babys, LunchMoney Lewis, Watch the Duck, Saint Asonia, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors, The Bright Light Social Hour, Devon Baldwin, Jesse Royal, Dylan LeBlanc, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Secret Weapons, and Ria Mae.
Talk Music To Me 