Many fans, of all ages, stood outside in the cold rain waiting to get into the venue. It was well worth it.

Before the show, I waited near the elevator with the other photographers. While we were standing there, I heard the elevator go 'ding', then the door to the elevator opened up and I was surprised to see Terry from Evanescence in the elevator. Inside the venue, I could hear the audience was 'buzzing' with excitement. I could already tell that this was going to be a great show.

The first band to perform was Finger Eleven. They sounded great and were fun to photograph... the drummer, Rich Beddoe, was making funny faces throughout the performance. Amy Lee gave the audience a treat when she came out to sing a duet with Scott Anderson during "One Thing".

After shooting Finger Eleven, I noticed a young boy and his father standing near one of the merch booths taking pictures of Terry Balsamo and Tim McCord of Evavnescence. I think the boy was using his father's cell phone camera. I asked them if they would like me to take their photograph with Terry, and they said "yes". I walked up to Terry, introduced myself, and asked if he would mind having his picture taken with the boy. Terry was very accommodating, and the little boy and his father were very excited and grateful.

The photo looked great, and I have since e-mailed it to the father. It felt good to make that little boy happy by taking his picture with someone he admires. I think that's far more satisfying than having my own picture taken with these bands and musicians.

Next up was Chevelle. This power trio whipped up quite a spectacle. Sam Loeffler's kick-drum head was decorated with an amusing picture of Britney Spears with her newly shaved cranium. The performance seemed too brief... at the end of their set we were all left wanting more.

The buzzing of the audience turned into loud roar… the level of excitement was rising in anticipation of the start of the Evanescence performance. As soon as they started playing, the audience erupted. Amy Lee's performance was flawless. I heard she wasn't feeling well, but she still sounded great. You could only tell her voice was a bit scratchy when she was talking in between songs.

All the fans I met and spoke with tonight were very nice, and very cool. I'm constantly finding new reasons to love what I do. "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop

| 04.04.2007 | Review by Kristen Pierson |