Burning Hot Events is a free, independent publication fueled by passion for music and art. We rely on ads to help us bring you great content, so if you enjoy our site, we'd love your support!
Please consider disabling any ad blockers to support us – we don’t force it!Dismiss
PHOENIX, AZ – With a new album, a growing international fanbase and more than 125 million global streams, indie-pop trio The Wldlfe are hitting the road for their fall headlining “Long Way Home” tour. The run brings the band to Phoenix’s Crescent Ballroom on Friday, October 23, with special guest Landon Conrath.
The Wldlfe will perform at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on Oct. 23, 2026, with support from Landon Conrath as part of their “Long Way Home” tour.
The tour follows the October 2 release of Revolver, The Wldlfe’s latest album via Riser House Records. Blending elements of ’80s rock, contemporary pop, alternative and indie, the record represents a creative evolution for a band that has spent years refining its distinctive balance of emotional vulnerability and irresistible melodies.
A New Chapter With ‘Revolver’
For The Wldlfe, Revolver marks a departure from the familiar cycle of writing, recording and touring under constant deadlines. Rather than rushing into their next release, the band deliberately gave themselves room to experiment, revisit ideas and pursue new sounds without the pressure of external expectations.
The resulting collection embraces a wider sonic palette while preserving the qualities that have defined The Wldlfe’s music: candid songwriting, memorable hooks and a knack for pairing introspective lyrics with uplifting arrangements.
Singles including “Saturn,” “Parachute,” “Lips,” “No Sleep” and “Heart” introduced listeners to the band’s latest creative direction, offering a glimpse of the stylistic range explored throughout Revolver.
The album also reflects the confidence of a group increasingly comfortable challenging its own musical boundaries. By drawing inspiration from multiple genres rather than adhering to one formula, The Wldlfe have created an opportunity for longtime fans and new listeners alike to experience another side of their artistry.
From Sold-Out Shows to the “Long Way Home” Tour
Since emerging in 2016, The Wldlfe, consisting of Jansen Hogan, Carson Hogan and Jack Crane, have steadily built a devoted audience through their emotionally resonant music and engaging live performances.
Along the way, the group has played sold-out shows across North America and shared stages with artists including The Band Camino, Flor, Knox, Nightly and COIN. Their growing catalog and reputation as a compelling live act have helped establish them as a recognizable presence in the indie-pop scene.
The Wldlfe explore a broader musical direction on their latest album, Revolver, released Oct. 2, 2026, via Riser House Records.
Now, with Revolver in hand, The Wldlfe are bringing their newest material directly to audiences on the “Long Way Home” tour, which kicks off October 17 in Orlando, Florida.
The Phoenix stop arrives less than a week into the tour, giving Valley fans an early opportunity to hear songs from the new record live alongside selections from the band’s earlier releases.
Joining them is Minneapolis-based indie-pop singer-songwriter Landon Conrath, whose melodic, emotionally driven music makes for a complementary addition to the evening’s lineup.
Catch The Wldlfe Live in Phoenix
The Wldlfe’s appearance at Crescent Ballroom offers Phoenix music fans an opportunity to experience the band’s latest chapter in an intimate concert setting.
Whether listeners have followed the group for years or are discovering them through Revolver, the upcoming show promises a night of heartfelt songwriting, infectious melodies and the kind of connection that has helped The Wldlfe cultivate their dedicated following.
Tickets are on sale now, with general admission and limited VIP meet-and-greet packages available:
Event Details
The Wldlfe – “Long Way Home” Tour
Special guest: Landon Conrath
Date: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026
Venue: Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix, AZ
Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 8 p.m.
Age restriction: 16+
Tickets: $25 advance general admission plus fees; $30 day of show plus fees. VIP meet-and-greet packages are listed at $90 plus fees.
CAIN Brings Live and In Worship Tour to Phoenix Nov. 7 With Special Guest bodie
The Voice Season 22 runner-up bodie is bringing his genre-blending sound to Phoenix on Saturday, Nov. 7, joining contemporary Christian music trio CAIN at Dream City Church for the Live and In Worship Tour. The performance arrives as bodie prepares for the release of his forthcoming album, SELLOUT, in 2027.
Known for challenging musical boundaries and blending alternative rock, pop and faith-driven songwriting, bodie has continued to establish his identity beyond the national spotlight that introduced him to millions of viewers on NBC’s The Voice. Now signed to Provident Entertainment, the singer-songwriter is building toward his next chapter with music that explores personal conviction, vulnerability and artistic identity.
His latest single, “GO FOR BROKE,” is currently being promoted to radio, offering another glimpse into the direction of his forthcoming record. Alongside recent releases “OBSESSED” and “ALMOST FAMOUS,” the track highlights an evolving alternative-rock influence while retaining the emotionally direct songwriting that has become central to his work.
Since finishing as runner-up on The Voice in 2022, bodie has developed an increasingly impressive résumé. His single “whisper and the wind” has surpassed 71 million global streams, according to his publicity team, and reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s airplay and Mediabase Audience charts.
His growing recognition also includes a Dove Award nomination and the Grand Prize in the International Songwriting Competition, accomplishments that reflect his ability to connect with audiences across musical genres.
Onstage, bodie has built momentum through a sold-out headlining tour and performances alongside artists such as Seph Schlueter, Elevation Rhythm and Colton Dixon. His approach to songwriting and performance has helped distinguish him in the contemporary Christian music landscape, particularly among listeners drawn to alternative sounds and deeply personal lyrics.
His forthcoming album, SELLOUT, promises to take that creative exploration further. Expected in 2027, the project is described as his most ambitious release yet, bringing alternative-rock influences together with introspective storytelling.
CAIN and bodie Bring Live and In Worship to Phoenix
For the Phoenix stop, bodie will join CAIN on the trio’s Live and In Worship Tour, an evening centered on music, faith and connection.
The tour brings together CAIN’s uplifting contemporary Christian sound and bodie’s distinctive alternative influences, offering audiences different musical perspectives within a shared atmosphere of worship and encouragement.
Fans familiar with bodie from The Voice will have an opportunity to experience how his artistry has developed since the competition, while listeners discovering him through his newer releases can hear the music and personality behind his growing success.
With new material on the horizon and a steadily expanding audience, bodie’s appearance at Dream City Church offers Phoenix music fans a chance to catch an artist in the midst of an important creative transition.
CAIN’s Live and In Worship Tour with special guest bodie takes place Saturday, Nov. 7, at Dream City Church, located at 13613 N. Cave Creek Road in Phoenix. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the concert begins at 7 p.m. VIP and early-entry options are also available.
PHOENIX – Canadian pop-rock singer-songwriter LØLØ is bringing her god forbid a girl goes on tour headline run to The Rebel Lounge on Monday, Oct. 12, supporting her sophomore album, god forbid a girl spits out her feelings! and tickets are running low!
LØLØ’s ‘god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!’ album artwork
Released this year via Fearless Records, the 13-track album finds LØLØ leaning further into the diaristic songwriting, biting humor and emotional candor that have become central to her music. Fearless describes the record as chronicling the messiness of learning, losing, falling in love and falling apart, transforming intrusive thoughts and moments of self-doubt into cathartic songs.
Among the songs likely to make their way into the Phoenix set are album standouts “me with no shirt on,” “the punisher,” “007,” “the devil wears converse” and “american zombie.” The album also includes “delusional darling,” which has since received a collaboration with Ella Red.
The Toronto native has built a rapidly expanding presence in modern pop-rock, amassing more than 200 million global streams while pairing confessional songwriting with melodies rooted in pop-punk and alternative rock. Her résumé includes collaborations with Simple Plan, Maggie Lindemann and Plain White T’s, along with tours and performances alongside acts including New Found Glory, State Champs and Boys Like Girls.
Her latest headline run follows a busy year of live appearances, including multiple Vans Warped Tour dates and festival performances throughout Canada. LØLØ has also appeared on stages at festivals including Lollapalooza, Sad Summer and Slam Dunk, while earning recognition as one of Rock Sound’s “2025 Icons.”
LØLØ’s “god forbid a girl goes on tour!” stops at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix on Oct. 12.
For an artist whose songs regularly turn oversharing, romantic disasters and spiraling thoughts into singalong material, god forbid a girl goes on tour offers a fitting live extension of the new record. The songs are intensely personal, and LØLØ has increasingly built a community around making those feelings something listeners can shout back together.
Mylie Taylor and Sydney Sherrill will support LØLØ at The Rebel Lounge. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 8 p.m. The concert is all ages, with tickets currently listed from $22 to $107.
With god forbid a girl spits out her feelings! now out and a new era of LØLØ fully underway, Phoenix fans will have the chance to catch one of pop-rock’s rising voices in the close quarters of The Rebel Lounge on Oct. 12.
Get your tickets for the Phoenix show or any other tour date here!
MESA, Ariz. – Bailey Spinn is hitting harder than ever, and Arizona fans will get a chance to hear that evolution live when she comes to The Nile Theater in Mesa on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Spinn is currently on the road with Scene Queen and WARGASM as part of Scene Queen’s METALICIOUS Tour, which kicked off Sept. 15 and continues through late October. The Mesa stop lands roughly halfway through the run, with Spinn opening the all-ages show at the historic downtown venue.
Event Details
Scene Queen: METALICIOUS Tour with WARGASM and Bailey Spinn
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 The Nile Theater 105 W. Main St., Mesa, AZ
Doors: 7 p.m. | Show: 8 p.m. All ages
Advance tickets: $28 plus fees Day-of-show tickets: $33 plus fees Eventim
The Sept. 29 Mesa appearance is one of several Southwest and West Coast dates on the tour before Bailey Spinn, Scene Queen and WARGASM continue through San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and beyond.
The tour comes as Spinn pushes beyond the pop-punk and alternative rock foundation of her earlier material and further into hard rock and metal. Her latest single, “start again,” released Aug. 28, was produced by Scott Stevens, whose credits include Shinedown, Halestorm and Daughtry. Built around muscular guitar riffs and a darker, heavier atmosphere, the song explores the desire to reset a relationship even after betrayal, loneliness and the realization that it may no longer be healthy to hold on.
Spinn describes “start again” as a “melodic metal anthem” and says the track introduces new vocal techniques alongside a haunting energy. It follows “voodoo,” another step into heavier territory, as well as “homicide,” “critical” and “fear of going out”.
That progression marks a notable expansion from the Y2K-inspired pop-rock and pop-punk sound that initially established Spinn as a recording artist. After building an enormous online following through short-form content, covers and original music, she released her debut EP, My Worst Enemy, before signing with AWAL and releasing her debut full-length album, loser, in March 2025. Her catalog has since generated more than 25 million Spotify streams.
The heavier turn also makes Spinn a natural fit alongside the METALICIOUS Tour’s other two acts. Headliner Scene Queen has built her identity around her self-coined “bimbocore” collision of metalcore, pop culture and hyperfeminine aesthetics, while British duo WARGASM brings an abrasive fusion of electronic music, punk and metal.
For Spinn, however, this tour arrives at an especially interesting point in her development. Rather than simply revisiting the pop-punk revivalism that helped introduce her music, songs such as “voodoo” and “start again” suggest an artist increasingly willing to test how far she can push the weight, darkness and intensity of her sound. And Mesa audiences will be hearing that evolution while it is still happening.
Beyond touring and recording, Spinn recently expanded into radio with the launch of Spinnin Out, her weekly idobi Radio podcast. Early guests have included Sophie Powers and fellow METALICIOUS tourmate Scene Queen, with additional alternative, rock and pop artists slated for the show’s first season.
My Chemical Romance lead vocalist Gerard Way performs alongside Head Nurse Sylvia, portrayed by Charlotte Kelso and part of the tour’s dystopian MOAT storyline in which The Black Parade are held captive and reconditioned, as flames erupt across the stage. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
PHOENIX — Let’s talk about anniversaries. We recognize and celebrate anniversaries to varying degrees as a means of looking objectively at the event and what it meant. We also consider the context in which it exists now and what it means in this new context. My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade” tour stop at Chase Field with support from Jimmy Eat World brought with it several anniversaries.
Album artwork – Jimmy Eat World ‘Bleed American’
Let’s start with a good one: Jimmy Eat World’s breakthrough fourth album Bleed American is 25 years old this year. Then there’s September 11th, a day of unspeakable tragedy that was also 25 years ago. It was an event witnessed by a 24-year-old Gerard Way, who saw it not just as the tragedy it was, but as something apocalyptic. He decided to live his life like the world could end and formed My Chemical Romance to make a positive difference, which is a beautiful thing to have come from something so terribly horrible. It should also be noted that September 11th also led Jimmy Eat World’s Bleed American to be briefly renamed simply Jimmy Eat World, as their label felt that maybe an album including the words “Bleed” and “American” may not be the best choice, given what the country was experiencing.
Album artwork: My Chemical Romance ‘The Black Parade’
Also of note, given the setting, is that the Arizona Diamondbacks won their only World Series championship on the very field that hosted Sunday night’s show. Maybe important, but definitely not as important as My Chemical Romance’s third album, the operatic The Black Parade, which is turning 20 this year. It was performed in its entirety in the properly rock-operatic way with one of the most-impressive stage shows any band has put on, arguably placing it alongside Pink Floyd’s original “The Wall Tour” in its scope and grandeur.
Jimmy Eat World: A Home-state Victory 25 Years in the Making
Jimmy Eat World hail from Mesa, AZ, so their opening performance playing their 2001 masterpiece Bleed American in full was a well-deserved victory lap for these hometown heroes to play to a sold out Chase Field, just 18 miles from where their career started. You could tell from the images of the band cast bigger than life on the giant screens to the left and right of the stage throughout their set that the moment meant a lot to them — something lead singer and chief songwriter Jim Adkins noted during their performance.
Despite being an Arizona transplant, I too felt a pride in watching them perform their most-celebrated album from start to finish within distance of the tiny venues and bars where they started. They deserved a celebratory moment like this and made the most of it during their hour-long set. Hits like “A Praise Chorus,” “The Middle,” and “Sweetness” had people out of their seats, singing and dancing, feeling the moment with the band. Though not a single, “Hear You Me,” the band’s ballad about fans Mykel and Carli Allan, whose tragic deaths inspired the lyrics, had the ballpark lit up with cell phone lights for the first time in the evening. (The sisters also inspired Weezer’s “Mykel and Carli.”) People had tears in their eyes as they sang along. It was special. There’s no other way to put it.
Zach Lind, drummer of Jimmy Eat World, wearing a “Jimmy” jersey while projected larger than life on a video screen during the band’s home-state performance at Chase Field. Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega
Upon completing the album play, Adkins noted that they still had a few more minutes left in their set and proceeded to run through “Big Casino” (from 2007’s Chase This Light), “Work,” and “Pain” (both from 2004’s Futures). They group took a collective arm-in-arm bow to rapturous applause before departing the stage. For Jimmy Eat World’s core four of Adkins, rhythm guitar player Tom Linton, bassist Rich Burch, and drummer Zach Lind, I hope this moment felt as triumphant to them on the stage as it did to those of us in the audience.
My Chemical Romance: Death, Fire, and The Black Parade Reborn
My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way raises a gloved fist from behind a stark podium during The Black Parade 2026 in Phoenix. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
We are a month and a half shy of that aforementioned 20th anniversary of My Chemical Romance’s undeniable masterpiece The Black Parade (released on October 20, 2006), and the band performed the album from start to finish. This was, of course, not just an album playthrough, but a full-fledged theatrical performance as well, and so it is difficult to properly sum up what this experience was like without giving a beat-for-beat textual reenactment of it.
My Chemical Romance lead guitarist Ray Toro performs at Chase Field. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
Instead, here are the highlights without any unnecessary commentary on what the visuals of the performance meant:
The band members lining up to each receive medication from a nurse prior to the first song
Large, Big Brother-esque video screens broadcasting appropriately Orwellian images and videos
A man on fire running across the stage
Gerard Way singing to a severed head in an operatic emo reimagining of Hamlet’s churchyard soliloquy (you know, “Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him Horatio”)
Huge bursts of fire rising into the sky and practically nipping at the park’s roof
My Chemical Romance lead vocalist Gerard Way and bassist Mikey Way perform amid towering pyrotechnics. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
Then came the closing moments of their set’s first act, as the whole stage was slowly engulfed in flames as Way passionately sang, “I am not afraid to keep on living/I am not afraid to walk this world alone,” with the heat turned up, literally and figuratively, around them.
My Chemical Romance rhythm guitarist Frank Iero performs surrounded by flames. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
What was also on display but not a part of the show per se was how hard the band was working to make it all look and feel as incredible as it was. One could see from any vantage point how much they were all giving the audience: fake blood, but real sweat and tears.
My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way performs in silhouette during their Phoenix concert. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
The second act featured the band out of costume, performing a run of songs from throughout the rest of their catalog on a smaller stage in the middle of the crowd. Despite there being thousands in attendance to witness it, this second half felt smaller, more intimate.
My Chemical Romance performs before a packed Chase Field crowd during their second set of The Black Parade 2026 tour stop in Phoenix. Photo Credit: Bryce Hall
Dressed much more casually, this felt like we were all spying on a club gig by the band. They dedicated their third song of the encore “Boy Division” to “The Butcher,” referencing former tourmates Every Time I Die’s guitar player Andy Williams. He was also a professional wrestler under the name “The Butcher,” who tragically died the night before after collapsing at a wrestling event. Other closing highlights included the tour debut of “The Only Hope for Me Is You” and the band’s first-ever performance of “The Light Behind Your Eyes,” from Number Three of the Conventional Weapons series of previously unreleased material, to close out the show.
Anniversaries are moments to reflect on what it all meant, and why it still matters now. Jimmy Eat World and My Chemical Romance both reminded us that it matters because the music connected with our hearts and our souls and continues to resonate. It touched something inside all of us and stayed there, like a protection from the pain the world can give us, whether it be the untimely deaths of friends or one of the most horrific and tragic events in our nation’s history. It reminds us that even when it feels like everything is descending into chaos, we should sing loudly as a rebuke of the worst of our world: “I am not afraid to keep on living!” That is a gift we should all hold dear, even when we have to sometimes walk this world alone.
My Chemical Romance performs beneath dramatic stage lighting during The Black Parade 2026 at Chase Field.
Photo Credit: Bryce HallGerard Way of My Chemical Romance performs against the imposing video-wall backdrop of The Black Parade 2026.
Photo Credit: Bryce HallMy Chemical Romance lead vocalist Gerard Way confronts a masked figure on a hospital bed during the closing theatrical sequence of The Black Parade portion of the show.
Phoenix, AZ — If “Songs I Still Skip” marked Mike Goodrick’s return to original music after more than 15 years, “Try” shows that return gaining momentum. Released July 31, this Phoenix artist’s latest single pairs bright pop-punk hooks with lyrics rooted in mixed signals, emotional uncertainty, and the perspective that comes with looking back.
“‘Try’ is about being treated like someone’s almost. The person who got the late-night calls, the mixed signals, the big feelings, but not the commitment. Then they turn around and give someone else everything they said they weren’t ready for.” – Mike Goodrick
Alongside his original songs, Goodrick performs emo and pop-punk favorites at intimate venues across Arizona several times a week. He launched the all-request series Acoustic Emo Night in the Valley and has since built an enthusiastic community of listeners still hungry for these sounds.
Goodrick’s renewed focus on original material marks a different chapter from the live cover performances that have kept him active in Arizona’s music scene. His solo songs sit at the intersection of emo, pop-punk, and acoustic singer-songwriter music, pairing familiar genre touchstones with where he is creatively today.
“It’s nostalgic, but it’s also adult. It’s about the way old songs, old relationships, and old versions of yourself can still follow you around,” Goodrick says.
“A song can take you right back to a relationship, a friendship, a heartbreak, or a version of yourself you barely recognize anymore,” he says about the content within his music. “My music lives in that space between looking back and moving forward. It’s about old memories that still have teeth.”
That tension between looking back and moving forward also runs through “Try,” where nostalgia is filtered through the perspective Goodrick brings to those experiences now.
“I’m someone who stepped away from original music for a long time,” Goodrick says. “I’m now finally writing and releasing again from a more mature perspective.”
Dashboard Confessional, Mayday Parade, and Knox are among the artists Goodrick cites as inspirations, but his own songs are grounded in experiences and perspectives that are distinctly his.
Phoenix pop-punk artist Mike Goodrick channels the catchy, vibrant sound that once defined youthful angst into music shaped by where he is now. Photo Credit:Suzy Goodrick Photography
Before his next release arrives, Arizona fans can catch Goodrick live at Cider Corps in Mesa on August 28 and Dark Sky Brewing in Flagstaff on August 30.
For More Show Dates & New Releases, Follow Mike Goodrick:
Created by *NSYNC member JC Chasez and songwriter Jimmy Harry, Playing With Fire reimagines Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through a musical conversation between Victor Frankenstein and his Creature. The 16-track world premiere recording brings the concept to life as a theatrical album that blends storytelling, character, and music.
PHOENIX — On the dusty, windy night of July 15, 2026, two storms brewed in Phoenix: one from the desert’s monsoon season threatening dust and rain, and the other a lineup of powerhouse female vocalists taking over Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre. Evanescence, a headliner needing no introduction to anyone who has listened to rock radio in the past 20 years, was supported by the ferocious Spiritbox and the electrifying Nova Twins. This was a millennial-fueled rock-girl dream lineup, mixing a legendary heavy hitter with two openers that have been making huge moves in the last decade. If there were any doubt about the draw, the lines wrapping around the venue for parking and entry made it undeniably clear.
Nova Twins
Nova Twins began their set as crowds were still wrapped around the venue and into the parking lot, but their sound carried well beyond the amphitheatre’s walls. They were impossible to ignore, even from the security lines. The duo may have been a familiar name for some, but for those unfamiliar, they wasted no time making a lasting impression.
Vocalist and guitarist Amy Love and bassist Georgia South delivered a fierce, tightly controlled performance, pairing heavy bass-driven distortion with a commanding stage presence. Even in the final portion of the set, their energy took hold and demanded full attention. Seated a few rows back from the stage, I relied on a colleague photographing the performance for a few of the finer visual details.
Touring drummer Jake Woodward was positioned off to the side while Love and South worked every inch of the stage available to them. Both utilized extensive pedalboards, along with a unique ring-controlled system that allowed for real-time manipulation of bass and synth effects. Their setup, paired with a more compact stage footprint, contrasted with the larger productions to follow, yet never felt lacking.
Before they finished their set, I already had them pulled up and added to my playlist. Their infectious, loud, fun, and impossible-to-ignore energy set the spark for a triple-stacked lineup packed with talent.
Spiritbox
As the set change began, the skies darkened and lightning flickered in the distance, setting the perfect scene as Spiritbox prepared to take the stage.
Red and white lights flashed as the band took their positions on stage. Vocalist Courtney LaPlante reached toward the sky before the drop into “Black Rainbow,” opening a twelve-song set featuring several tracks from their 2025 sophomore album, Tsunami Sea.
LaPlante carried a noticeably stronger confidence throughout the performance than when I’ve seen her before, sauntering around the microphone stand before stepping to face the crowd and unleashing her signature screams.
Throughout the set, LaPlante took moments to connect with the crowd, thanking them for sticking it out in the Phoenix heat and building anticipation for Evanescence. She told the audience that “Most of you have no idea what you’re about to see, but I think it’s going to be the best show you ever did see.” Before “The Void,” she took a moment to shout out Nova Twins, telling the crowd, “We love them, and this next song goes out to them.”
A mid-set break shifted the tone as LaPlante told the crowd, “We thank you for your time, and this is the part of the set where we dance,” building into “Sew Me Up,” with drumming and clapping pulling the crowd into the rhythm. Another playful moment came when LaPlante inducted the wind as the fifth member of the band, saying “it’s making us look really cool.” The way the gusts whipped through their hair and clothing added to the atmosphere in a way that felt like an intentional part of the show.
The playful energy of the show took a sharp turn after “Holy Roller” finished. The set was stopped due to a disturbance in the pit, spotted by drummer Zev Rose from his elevated platform which LaPlante referred to as him witnessing “the fuckery about”, prompting the band to halt the show.
“We’re not going to play another song and this show is not going to continue til we make sure everybody out there is safe. So I need you guys to be tattletales – who’s the fucking freak who’s hurting everybody? Point them out.”
When the crowd shouted the person had run off to the restroom, LaPlante responded “Well guess what fucker, we all saw you, we know where you are, and your ass is going to get kicked the fuck out.”
The crowd began chanting “kick him out, kick him out” while LaPlante checked in on an audience member. The individual was escorted by security out of the venue to a chorus of boos.
The band and crowd rallied after LaPlante reminded the audience to take care of one another then rolled into their final song, “Soft Spine.” Their performance balanced intensity, control, playfulness and a deep care for their fans.
After a lengthy changeover that seemed to rebuild the entire set, Evanescence emerged to a dramatically transformed stage. The show was now framed by cathedral-like structures behind them, backlit in deep crimson, while smoke rolled across a newly slanted stage and drummer Will Hunt sat elevated at the center. From the moment they took the stage, the crowd was on its feet, with many remaining standing for the entirety of the set.
Opening with “Sanctuary,” the title track from their newly released album, they wasted no time establishing the tone for the night. Amy Lee stepped to the front of the stage with a presence that felt both commanding and beautiful, her voice cutting cleanly through the instruments. The set continued with the new album woven throughout the 21-song set, effectively playing it in full across the night. The sands of time have not dared to dull Evanescence’s flame.
When the band shifted to “Going Under,” the energy surged, phones rose throughout the crowd as fans captured a treasured moment. The transition between older and new material was seamless, creating a setlist that moved fluidly across each era.
“Lithium” shifted the performance into an intimate space, with Lee seated at the piano under a cool white spotlight. The tone softened, but the emotional weight was heavy. That same intensity deepened during “Like You,” the one song from their second album release they had never played live prior to this tour. Lee’s voice soared above the distorted growls of the guitar, adding depth to her clarity.
The production throughout the set elevated the experience above and beyond rock standards. Between massive screens, shifting visuals, and pyrotechnics, it felt surreal to be in the audience, part of this magic.
That atmosphere of magic carried into the night’s more personal moments, particularly when Lee addressed the crowd before “Forever Without You,” sharing that the next song was very personal to her:
“I wrote it about my life, my journey and me getting here but I realize how many people have been through something so similar so if the story I’m about to tell you, if some words that I say resonate with you and make you feel like you’ve been there before or you are there now please uh,” she laughed softly, “first of all, don’t be afraid. I know that’s easier said than done but second of all never regret love. I’m done regretting love! You’re not bad, you’re not stupid for loving someone. But you don’t have to stay.” She then promised, “It’s better on the other side.”
Her words hung in the air as she moved into the song, her voice deeply emotive as it danced with her piano accompaniment. Lee held notes with precision, sustaining them in a way that felt almost impossible for such a heavy and personal performance, drawing cheers of support from the audience.
That emotional weight quickly shifted into one of the most explosive moments of the night with their 2003 Grammy Award-winning debut single, “Bring Me to Life.” The entire venue came alive as the crowd sang along, matching the band’s energy. Everyone on and off stage was rocking out. Lee held out the iconic note on “dead” with striking control before calling on the audience to join her, hands raised as confetti rained down over the pit. Without pause, the band pushed forward into “Imaginary,” maintaining a level of stamina that never seemed to falter.
A standout and favorite moment of the night came when Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox, along with Amy Love and Georgia South of Nova Twins, joined Lee on stage for “Fight Like a Girl,” a track originally featuring K.Flay from the film Ballerina. The collaboration created what felt like a powerful, unified front at the edge of the stage, highlighting the strength of the female-fronted lineup. It’s hard not to want more from that combination.
“My Immortal” delivered one of the deepest, most nostalgic emotional moments of the night. The performance resonated throughout the crowd, bringing this millennial back to her teens, wiping away tears while watching Lee smile one of the biggest and most beautiful smiles of the night. She carried the moment with grace and sincerity.
The evening closed with “Wide Open Heart,” the band’s energy never fading as they pushed through the final moments of the set with the same intensity they opened with.
To call two-time Grammy Award-winning Evanescence and vocalist Amy Lee epic and legendary feels like only scratching the surface. The sheer force of the band, wielding their instruments like magicians time-traveling us through over two decades of beloved music, is an experience difficult to fully capture in words alone. Lee, alongside Emma Anzai, Will Hunt, Tim McCord, and Troy McLawhorn, delivered a performance that proves Evanescence continues to evolve while remaining exactly what fans have loved for decades and will continue to love for generations.
Montreal, QC – Extreme metal juggernaut NARCOTIC WASTELAND has announced they will be joining the “Praise the Beast North American Tour” with BELPHEGOR, INCANTATION, and HATE for February and March 2026, continuing their relentless assault on stages worldwide.
This marks the band’s third major run in less than a year, following the “Annihilation of Wasteland Tour” across the U.S. in September 2025 and their headlining “Annihilation of Europe Tour” in November and December 2025.
Fronted by guitarist/vocalist Dallas Toler-Wade (ex-Nile), Narcotic Wasteland has built a reputation for uncompromising brutality, technical precision, and lyrical themes that confront addiction, corruption, and societal decay. Their recent tours have drawn packed venues and critical acclaim, cementing their place as one of the most ferocious acts in modern death metal. “The energy we felt from fans in both North America and Europe has been incredible. We’re coming back harder than ever in 2026. Expect a setlist that spans our catalog, new material, and the kind of intensity that defines Narcotic Wasteland,” says Toler-Wade. The upcoming tour will see the band storm through major cities across the U.S. and Canada, dates and venues listed below. The tour is a crushing lineup, making this one of the most anticipated metal tours of early 2026.
Tickets for the “Praise the Beast North American Tour” with BELPHEGOR, INCANTATION, HATE, and NARCOTIC WASTELAND go on sale on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, at 12:00 pm PST / 3:00 pm EST.
2026 “Praise the Beast North American Tour” Dates
Feb 19 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Monarch
Feb 20 – Lowell, MA – Taffeta Music Hall
Feb 21 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
Feb 22 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Feb 23 – Lakewood, OH – Mercury Music Hall
Feb 24 – Joliet, IL – The Forge
Feb 26 – Denver, CO – HQ
Feb 27 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
Feb 28 – Haltom City, TX – Haltom Theater
Mar 1 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
Mar 2 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
Mar 5 – Mesa, AZ – The Rosetta Room
Mar 6 – San Diego, CA – Brick by Brick
Mar 7 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
Mar 8 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post
Mar 9 – Los Angeles, CA – 1720
Mar 10 – Anaheim, CA – The Observatory
Narcotic Wasteland: A Modern Force in Extreme Metal
Narcotic Wasteland has carved out its place as a dominant force in the modern metal scene, unleashing a punishing fusion of razor-sharp technicality, feral aggression, and raw intensity. At the helm is guitarist and vocalist Dallas Toler-Wade, celebrated for his tenure with Nile, whose unmatched precision and commanding stage presence drive the band’s sonic assault.
Narcotic Wasteland photographed on location, capturing the band’s stark, unfiltered presence. Known for their uncompromising approach to extreme metal, the trio blends technical precision with raw aggression, delivering a sound as imposing as their visual aesthetic.
Behind the kit, Joseph Howard delivers a relentless barrage of power and accuracy, propelling the band’s crushing rhythms with thunderous authority. His dynamic drumming lays the foundation for the group’s dark and uncompromising atmosphere. Anchoring the low end, Kenji Tsunami injects depth and texture with inventive, hard-hitting bass lines. His formidable musicianship and commanding presence add another layer to the band’s overwhelming wall of sound, amplifying the ferocity of their live performances. Together, Dallas, Joseph, and Kenji form a unit that is both unstoppable and uncompromising, captivating audiences with explosive performances and boundary-pushing compositions. With their collective skill and vision, Narcotic Wasteland stands tall as one of the most formidable powerhouses in extreme music today.
News & Reviews from the Fiery Mosh Pits of Arizona
