Evanescence have announced a new livestream concert that will be hosted by shock-rock legend Alice Cooper. “Driven to Perform” goes live at 9 p.m. ET on May 13th and will be appropriately presented by Cooper Tire and free to stream.
In addition, a battle-of-the-bands style competition is being held to determine the opening act. Among the three bands competing are Suspect208, who feature the sons of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash and Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.
Each band covered the Alice Cooper classic “Under My Wheels”, and Suspect208 dished out the heaviest version of the three. At one point, the young L.A. band was fronted by Scott Weiland’s son Noah, who has since been replaced by new singer Cody Houston. We interviewed the band over Zoom when Weiland was still in the group, and recently reported on their new song “You Got It”.
“This garage band contest and the concept of being ‘Driven to Perform’ strike a chord with me because I started out in the music business really young,” said Alice Cooper of the competition in a press release. “I began my career the same way so many of these bands did. I was driven to someday get up on stage and perform. It is in garages across the country that so many musicians find their sound and get their start.”
As for the headliner, Evanescence also dropped the eerie music video for “Better Without You”, directed by Eric D. Howell. The band is fresh off the release of their new album, The Bitter Truth — another strong entry of heartfelt hard rock from the veteran group. Singer Amy Lee and company are expected to perform several songs from the new LP during the livestream concert.
The livestream show also comes in place of what would have been busy touring itinerary for Evanescence, if not for the pandemic. The band just postponed its co-headlining European arena tour with Within Temptation until 2022. The outing was originally scheduled for 2020, then rescheduled for this year, before being re-booked again.
For more information on the livestream and to vote on the opening act, visit the “Driven to Perform” website. Watch the music video for “Better Without You” and Suspect208’s cover of “Under My Wheels” below (note: bassist Tye Trujillo was unable to appear in the video, but is still a member of the band).
