February 7th 2026
Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam (NL)

The Ziggo Dome hosted the final show of the first leg of Epica’s tour, marking the largest venue of this run before the band continues on March 6. With three acts, a packed hall, and a few unexpected guest appearances, the Amsterdam date stood out as a memorable milestone in the tour.

Charlotte Wessels opened the evening with a set that showcased the identity she has built as a solo artist. Starting with “Chasing Sunsets,” “Dopamine,” and “The Crying Room,” she established a calm, melodic atmosphere that suited her material. Her voice carried clearly through the venue, and the arrangements left room for the songs to breathe.
Elianne Anemaat joined her on cello for “Soft Revolution,” adding a warm acoustic layer that blended naturally with the track. The cello brought a gentle richness to the sound without shifting the overall tone of the set. After “Tempest” and “After Us, The Flood,” Anemaat returned for “The Exorcism,” closing the performance with another well‑matched collaboration.
Wessels’ set was cohesive and steady, offering a clear musical narrative from start to finish. The audience responded warmly, and the performance set a grounded, atmospheric tone for the rest of the night.
A final note worth mentioning: Wessels’ drummer played the show with an injured leg and could only use his left foot. Pulling off a full set under those conditions deserves recognition and added an extra layer of admiration for the musicianship behind the performance.

Amaranthe followed with a set built around their trademark blend of metal, pop, and electronic elements. They opened with “Fearless,” then moved rapidly through “Viral,” “Digital World,” “Damnation Flame,” “Maximize,” “Strong,” “PvP,” and “Crystalline.” The band delivered plenty of energy, and the triple‑vocal dynamic remained the centerpiece of their sound.
The pacing, however, felt scattered. The setlist jumped between different eras and moods without forming a clear arc, which made the performance feel disjointed despite the enthusiasm on stage.
“Amaranthine” was the most noticeable outlier. The first half featured a timid and unusually phrased vocal delivery that didn’t align with the song’s established emotional flow. The shift was unexpected and created a disconnect before the track settled into a more familiar style in the second half.
Elize Ryd, normally a reliable live performer, also had moments where her timing and tuning felt slightly off. It wasn’t constant, but enough to stand out. Especially for listeners familiar with her usual precision. It gave parts of the set a slightly uneven feel.
The band regained some momentum with “The Nexus,” “Call Out My Name,” and the encore selections “Archangel,” “That Song,” and “Drop Dead Cynical.” The crowd remained engaged throughout, but the overall structure of the set kept it from reaching its full potential.

Epica closed the night with a performance that demonstrated their experience and consistency as a live act. Even with reduced pyrotechnics compared to some earlier tours, the show maintained a strong visual identity through extensive screen projections. The imagery ranged from cosmic landscapes to narrative scenes, adding depth to the music without overwhelming it.
The band opened with “Apparition” and “Cross the Divide,” immediately establishing a tight sound. “Martyr of the Free Word,” “Eye of the Storm,” and an acoustic‑first‑verse rendition of “Unleashed” followed, showing the band’s ability to shift between intensity and melody while keeping the set cohesive. “Never Enough” continued the momentum before the first major guest moment of the night.
“Sirens – Of Blood and Water” brought Charlotte Wessels and Elize Ryd to the stage. The big surprise came when Alissa White‑Gluz joined them as well. She had not appeared at any previous shows on this run, and the audience had no indication she would be present. Her appearance was later explained in a social media post, where she shared that Epica was one of the first bands she ever toured with, though they had never performed together before. She also revealed that she had recently broken ribs after falling on snowy stairs and had flown in from Los Angeles to make the appearance happen.
Her presence added a unique element to the performance, turning “Sirens” into a rare four‑vocalist collaboration exclusive to the Amsterdam show.
The set continued with the emotional ballad “Tides of Time” and a standout performance of “The Grand Saga of Existence,” which benefited from the venue’s scale and the accompanying visuals. “Cry for the Moon,” “Fight to Survive,” and “The Last Crusade” followed before White‑Gluz returned for “Beyond the Matrix.” Despite her injury, she delivered her parts with full commitment, and the crowd reacted strongly to her return.
Epica closed with the instrumental “Aspiral,” offering a calm and reflective ending after the intensity of the preceding songs.

The Ziggo Dome show served as a memorable conclusion to the first leg of the tour. Charlotte Wessels delivered a focused and atmospheric opening set, Amaranthe brought energy but struggled with cohesion and consistency, and Epica delivered a confident finale supported by strong visuals and rare guest appearances.
The unexpected involvement of Alissa White‑Gluz, combined with the significance of the venue and the timing within the tour, made the Amsterdam date stand out. With the tour set to resume on March 6, the Ziggo Dome performance closed this chapter on a high note and left the audience with plenty to look forward to.

Setlists:

Charlotte Wessels

1. Chasing Sunsets
2. Dopamine
3. The Crying Room
4. Soft Revolution (with Elianne Anemaat)
5. Tempest
6. After Us, The Flood
7. The Exorcism (with Elianne Anemaat)

Amaranthe

1. Intro
2. Fearless
3. Viral
4. Digital World
5. Damnation Flame
6. Maximize
7. Strong
8. PvP
9. Crystalline
10. Boom!
11. The Catalyst
12. Re‑Vision
13. Chaos Theory (First Day of Release)
14. Amaranthine
15. The Nexus
16. Call Out My Name

Encore:

1. Archangel
2. That Song (With snippets of Queen’s We Will Rock You)
3. Drop Dead Cynical

Epica

1. Apparition
2. Cross the Divide
3. Martyr of the Free Word
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Unleashed (First Verse Acoustic)
6. Never Enough
7. Sirens – Of Blood and Water (with Charlotte Wessels, Alissa White‑Gluz and Elize Ryd)
8. Tides of Time
9. The Grand Saga of Existence
10. Cry for the Moon
11. Fight to Survive
12. The Last Crusade
13. Beyond the Matrix (with Alissa White‑Gluz)
14. Aspiral (Instrumental)

Epica and support ziggodome 2026