# Synthesis Live

Synthesis Live was a concert tour by American rock band Evanescence, in support of their fourth studio album, the orchestral and electronica-based Synthesis (2017). This was the first tour where the band performed with an orchestra on stage. For each city on the tour, a local orchestra was assembled by conductor Susie Seiter. Synthesis Live included 60 concerts in cities across North America in 2017 and 2018, four concerts in Oceania and 18 concerts in Europe in 2018. The tour received critical acclaim.

## Background

"This is a total passion project for me", Amy Lee said. "There are so many layers in our music underneath the huge drums and guitars. 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." She deemed Synthesis a fun experience that became "something bigger because you're really starting from scratch on the songs", and found the musical journey to be therapeutic. Lee said she was excited about the new instrumental material on the album and performing with a full orchestra live for the first time in their career.
The Synthesis Live tour was announced by the band on August 14, 2017. They would be accompanied on stage by a different 28-piece orchestra in every city, performing re-worked orchestral and electronica-arrangements of some of their back catalogue plus two new songs from Synthesis. For each city on the tour, a local orchestra was assembled by the show's conductor, Susie Seiter. With the purchase of tickets for the concerts, concertgoers received a free download of the album along with an instant download of the reworked version of "Bring Me to Life" included on Synthesis. For the final leg of the North American tour, violinist Lindsey Stirling, who featured on the Synthesis song "Hi-Lo", co-headlined with Evanescence, with both artists alternating on who headlined each night.

## Critical reception

The Synthesis Live concert tour received critical acclaim, with several publications calling it an ambitious tour. Billboard wrote that Evanescence "delivered a riveting performance" and Lee "delved into every nuance of her vocals" with her "haunting voice and eerie piano" evoking "the pulse of Evanescence's sound". Gig Wise said the band "exceeded all expectations" and "the multiple layers in this performance make it become a whole different jaw-dropping experience". "Each and every musician onstage is in perfect sync" and Lee emits "such incredible depth and sound", Renowned for Sound reviewed, regarding the concert "spectacular." Variety wrote, "Lee firmly re-establishes herself as one of rock's pre-eminent vocalists" while "she and the ensemble turn the familiar material into full-throttle, wide-screen epics, its themes of loss, guilt and self-doubt enlarged to tragedy on the Greek proscenium. The Wall Street Journal commended Lee's "rich, measured yet emotional performance" and piano work, concluding, "the majesty of Ms. Lee accompanied by Mr. Campbell's arrangements was undeniable."

## Live album

On August 8, 2018, Eagle Rock Entertainment announced Synthesis Live on CD with DVD or Blu-ray and digital download to be released on October 12, 2018. The concert film was shot during their fall 2017 tour at Foxwoods Resort Casino Grand Theater in Connecticut and directed by P. R. Brown and mixed by Damian Taylor. The set contained the entire concert with a live orchestra and included the music video for "Hi-Lo".

## Set list

Orchestra opening
* "La Strada" (by Nino Rota)
* "La Chasse" (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
* "Pavane" (by Gabriel Fauré)
* "Moonlight Sonata" (by Ludwig van Beethoven)
* "Lacrimosa" (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
* "Sally's Song" (by Danny Elfman)
Evanescence with orchestra
* "Overture"
* "Never Go Back"
* "Lacrymosa"
* "End of the Dream"
* "My Heart Is Broken"
* "Lithium"
* "Bring Me to Life"
* "Unraveling"
* "Imaginary"
* "Secret Door"
* "Across the Universe" (The Beatles cover, played on second North American leg)
* "Hi-Lo" (with Lindsey Stirling on second North American leg)
* "Lost in Paradise"
* "Your Star"
* "My Immortal"
* "The In-Between"
* "Imperfection"
Encore
* "Speak to Me"
* "Good Enough"
* "Swimming Home" / "Weight of the World"
On the first night of the tour, at the Pearl Concert Theater, Las Vegas, October 14, "Speak to Me" was not performed. Starting November 30, "Weight of the World" was performed instead of "Swimming Home". "Palladio / No More Tears / Alive", a mashup of Ozzy Osbourne and Sia, was performed by both Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling starting July 7, 2018.

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| North America ||||
| October 14, 2017 | Las Vegas | United States | Pearl Concert Theater |
| October 15, 2017 | Los Angeles | United States | Greek Theatre |
| October 17, 2017 | Phoenix | United States | Comerica Theatre |
| October 20, 2017 | Houston | United States | Revention Music Center |
| October 22, 2017 | Irving | United States | Toyota Music Factory |
| October 23, 2017 | New Orleans | United States | Mahalia Jackson Theater |
| October 25, 2017 | Nashville | United States | Ryman Auditorium |
| October 27, 2017 | Atlanta | United States | Delta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater |
| October 28, 2017 | Charlotte | United States | Ovens Auditorium |
| October 30, 2017 | Pittsburgh | United States | Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts |
| October 31, 2017 | Oxon Hill | United States | The Theater at MGM National Harbor |
| November 2, 2017 | Upper Darby | United States | Tower Theater |
| November 3, 2017 | Mashantucket | United States | Foxwoods Resort Casino Grand Theater |
| November 5, 2017 | Boston | United States | Orpheum Theatre |
| November 7, 2017 | Bethelehem | United States | Sands Event Center |
| November 8, 2017 | Baltimore | United States | Hippodrome Theatre |
| November 10, 2017 | Brooklyn | United States | Kings Theatre |
| November 30, 2017 | Chicago | United States | Chicago Theatre |
| December 2, 2017 | Carmel | United States | The Palladium |
| December 3, 2017 | St. Louis | United States | Peabody Opera House |
| December 5, 2017 | Minneapolis | United States | State Theatre |
| December 6, 2017 | Madison | United States | Orpheum Theatre |
| December 8, 2017 | Toronto | Canada | Sony Centre for the Performing Arts |
| December 9, 2017 | Windsor | Canada | Caesars Windsor |
| December 11, 2017 | Kansas City | United States | Kansas City Music Hall |
| December 13, 2017 | Denver | United States | Paramount Theatre |
| December 15, 2017 | Reno | United States | Grand Theatre at the Grand Sierra Resort |
| December 16, 2017 | San Francisco | United States | Masonic Auditorium |
| December 19, 2017 | Portland | United States | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall |
| Oceania ||||
| February 10, 2018 | Brisbane | Australia | BCEC Great Hall |
| February 13, 2018 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Opera House |
| February 14, 2018 | Sydney | Australia | Sydney Opera House |
| February 16, 2018 | Melbourne | Australia | Rod Laver Arena |
| Europe ||||
| March 12, 2018 | Moscow | Russia | Crocus City Hall |
| March 15, 2018 | St. Petersburg | Russia | Yubileyny Sports Palace |
| March 17, 2018 | Prague | Czech Republic | Prague Congress Centre |
| March 19, 2018 | Milan | Italy | Arcimboldi Theatre |
| March 20, 2018 | Zürich | Switzerland | Samsung Hall |
| March 22, 2018 | Stuttgart | Germany | Porsche-Arena |
| March 23, 2018 | Leipzig | Germany | Arena Leipzig |
| March 25, 2018 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | AFAS Live |
| March 26, 2018 | Düsseldorf | Germany | Mitsubishi Electric Halle |
| March 28, 2018 | Paris | France | Le Grand Rex |
| March 30, 2018 | London | England | Royal Festival Hall |
| March 31, 2018 | London | England | Royal Festival Hall |
| April 2, 2018 | Manchester | England | O$_2$ Apollo Manchester |
| April 3, 2018 | Nottingham | England | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham |
| April 5, 2018 | Glasgow | Scotland | SEC Armadillo |
| April 6, 2018 | Sheffield | England | Sheffield City Hall |
| April 8, 2018 | Brussels | Belgium | Palais 12 |
| April 9, 2018 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| North America ||||
| July 6, 2018 | Kansas City | United States | Starlight Theatre |
| July 7, 2018 | Maryland Heights | United States | Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre |
| July 9, 2018 | Clarkston | United States | DTE Energy Music Theatre |
| July 10, 2018 | Highland Park | United States | Ravinia Pavilion |
| July 12, 2018 | Noblesville | United States | Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center |
| July 14, 2018 | Cincinnati | United States | Riverbend Music Center |
| July 17, 2018 | Camden | United States | BB&T Pavilion |
| July 18, 2018 | Mansfield | United States | Xfinity Center |
| July 20, 2018 | Charlotte | United States | PNC Music Pavilion |
| July 21, 2018 | Raleigh | United States | Coastal Credit Union Music Park |
| July 24, 2018 | Bristow | United States | Jiffy Lube Live |
| July 25, 2018 | Uncasville | United States | Mohegan Sun Arena |
| July 27, 2018 | Toronto | Canada | Budweiser Stage |
| July 28, 2018 | Saratoga Springs | United States | Saratoga Performing Arts Center |
| August 10, 2018 | Holmdel | United States | PNC Bank Arts Center |
| August 11, 2018 | Wantagh | United States | Jones Beach Theater |
| August 14, 2018 | Simpsonville | United States | Heritage Park Amphitheater |
| August 17, 2018 | Tampa | United States | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre |
| August 18, 2018 | West Palm Beach | United States | Coral Sky Amphitheatre |
| August 20, 2018 | Jacksonville | United States | Daily's Place |
| August 22, 2018 | New Orleans | United States | Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square |
| August 24, 2018 | Dallas | United States | Dos Equis Pavilion |
| August 25, 2018 | The Woodlands | United States | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion |
| August 28, 2018 | Albuquerque | United States | Isleta Amphitheater |
| August 29, 2018 | Phoenix | United States | Ak-Chin Pavilion |
| August 31, 2018 | Chula Vista | United States | Mattress Firm Amphitheatre |
| September 1, 2018 | Irvine | United States | FivePoint Amphitheatre |
| September 4, 2018 | Los Angeles | United States | Greek Theatre |
| September 5, 2018 | Mountain View | United States | Shoreline Amphitheatre |
| September 7, 2018 | Auburn | United States | White River Amphitheatre |
| September 8, 2018 | Ridgefield | United States | Sunlight Supply Amphitheater |

### Changed dates

The concert in Brisbane was originally scheduled for February 11, at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, but the promoter changed the date to February 10 and the venue to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

## Personnel

Evanescence
* Amy Lee – vocals, piano
* Will Hunt – drums, electronic percussion
* Troy McLawhorn – guitar
* Tim McCord – guitar
* Jen Majura – guitar, theremin, backing vocals
Additional musicians
* Will Hunt – electronics, percussion
* Dave Eggar – cello
* Susie Seiter – conductor