"There's a big line out there for sure," Lee told MTV News. "I don't know what to say, it was really cute. I went and bought my album at Amoeba Music and then I was on my way back and I had my little album on my lap, and they were all looking at their albums too. I think they just came from there."
"We're really excited," Lee continued. "You know, we've been working on this record forever and today's the day that we've been looking forward to for a really long time. It's great to be in L.A. We're gonna play a great show and just have fun."
The show was just the second stop on the tour, which sees support from opening acts the Pretty Reckless (which Lee called "a great fit") and Rival Sons (whose sound she described as "that Zeppelin, trippy, awesome rock"). Both bands were handpicked by EV, no doubt due to their impressive live sets.
As far as what fans can expect from Evanescence's stage show, Lee promised plenty from the new LP.
"We're definitely focusing mainly on the new material," Lee said. "We're really excited about that music the most — obviously it's the newest — but of course we'll be playing some from both of our other albums too. I guess I'd say in general, our show's on the heavy-energy side, so we'll be running around singing a lot of fast songs." While it's been some time since fans have had a chance to see EV live, Lee hasn't forgotten her favorite thing about touring.
"I love the fans!" Lee said with a smile. "I think the shows — I guess that's a boring answer — but definitely the thing that we're looking forward to when we're on the road is the concerts. Seeing the fans — hopefully getting them to lose their minds."
Which is exactly what they did when the band took the stage later that night at the Palladium. A seeming sea of black shirts filled the venue to near capacity. Of course, the band echoed the same dark wardrobe, punctuated by a burst of plaid on Lee's dress. Capturing every moment were a throng of cell phones and cameras hoisted in the air. Oh, and plenty of devil horns.
The energetic L.A. show was one stop among a slew of U.S. cities that the band will hit from now until November 1. But if your hometown isn't on the current schedule, don't fret: EV is already planning the next leg of the Stateside tour.
A few days before the album’s release, McLawhorn checked in with Gibson.com to talk about his recent reunion with Evanescence and why Gibsons are “all-around good guitars for everything.”
You rejoined Evanescence this year after playing a while with Seether. What was the catalyst for your move to Evanescence?
Well, when I joined Evanescence for the first time, I was hired to finish a tour for them in 2007. I joined in with Will Hunt, who I played with in Dark New Day. So, Amy [Lee] called us to see if we could finish out the tour that year. When Evanescence took a hiatus, she wanted to take a break from touring, so I moved on and did some other things in the meantime. When we talked this year, she was ready to do another album, and I was excited to come back. When I came in, they had been writing a little beforehand, so some of the ideas were created in some writing sessions before we got together in the rehearsal space, but I got to be included in a lot of the overall creative process.
Listening to tracks on the new album, such as “Made of Stone” and “Never Go Back,” it seems this record went for a heavy, straight-ahead rock vibe. Would you agree?
Yeah, definitely. This record was made differently than rest of Evanescence’s records in that it was a band record. We put ourselves into a rehearsal room and hashed out these ideas we had and made them into songs, and I think the thing we wanted to keep was the rawness of being in a room together. I think it came across that way and in what the producer, Nick Raskulinecz, did for us. Amy says she’s never done an album like this; before, it was usually just her and one writing partner. But, this is how I’ve always done albums with bands, as a collaborative effort.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve been on tour, so I’m excited to go on tour and play these songs. I think this album is a great live album. There’s a lot of up-tempo stuff on it, and like you said, it’s a little heavier and a little rawer, so it’s going to be a lot of fun to play live.
What Gibsons are currently in your rig?
I’ve been a Gibson fan for a long time, and I have a black Les Paul Custom, and it’s an ’85. I also have a white Les Paul custom that’s a ’90 or ’91, and a Flying-V 7-string I just got this year.
Did you use any Gibsons when recording the new album?
Actually, one of my main guitars for this album was a 1959 re-issue white Flying-V. I used that a lot, and Terry [Balsamo, Evanescence’s other guitarist] mostly used a 7-string Gibson Explorer. That combination sounded really good. We did a lot of rhythm tracks with those two guitars.
Do you find yourself using Gibsons especially for a particular function, such as soloing or rhythms?
Gibson is good for everything! I love Gibson guitars. I don’t really have a deal with Gibson; I’ve just always liked them and spent my money on them, because they’re awesome guitars. There are a few that I even leave at home, because they’re really great to write on. But Gibsons are great to play rhythm on and great to play country, bluegrass, rock, pop – whatever genre. Gibsons are all-around good guitars for everything.
Do you have any playing tips for our readers?
I’m self-taught, and the only tip I can think to give is to try to branch out as much as you can and learn from other guitar players. Practice – that’s the key. When I was starting out, I would practice seven hours a day. I would get home from school, lock myself in my bedroom and play guitar. I just loved it so much, and it was something in my heart to do, so I got lost in it every day.
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