A full-capacity crowd gathered at Avalon Sunday to see Amy Lee, the lead singer of Evanescence, twirl around like a princess in a strapless pink prom dress and wail songs of heartbreak and despair.

While Evanescence received five Grammy nominations for their debut Fallen, it’s hard to imagine how a group of this supposed caliber can so lack in stage presence and performance. Sunday’s show centered on Lee’s passionate performance while the rest of the band played their instruments in a generic manner that ultimately detracted from Lee’s dynamism.

Lee’s vocal ability resembles that of a young, troubled opera star. As she coiled her body and flipped her head back and forth, Lee’s operatic voice resonated throughout the venue. Her range is astounding and almost too good to be true during slower songs.

However, when the band picked up the pace, they drowned out Lee’s voice, which seemed out of place with the quick guitar riffs and fast-paced drum beats.

The most notable songs of the evening were “My Immortal,” which featured Lee on keyboards, as well as the radio-friendly “Going Under” and the ever-popular “Bring Me Back to Life.”

Other songs sounded like fillers, and although the crowd sang along enthusiastically to each one, they were hard to distinguish from each other. For a band that has gained so much popularity so quickly, it’s both impressive and confusing how the audience embraced the band’s presentation.

This was Evanescence’s first major tour, which may justify the choppiness of their performance. The lack of flow from song to song made it a sporadic showcase instead of a neatly arranged performance.

Lee fumbled as she tried to set up the keyboard, laughing and joking with the crowd that she’d “never played live before.” With more live experience, let’s hope Evanescence can learn to put on a stellar performance instead of just the Amy Lee show.

Lee is a double-edged sword: she is undoubtedly the star with her amazing vocal and lyrical talent.

Just as Gwen Stefani helped stimulate the buzz around No Doubt, Lee brings an ethereal presence that captures the audience. Whipping fans into a frenzy, Lee entices them, raising the question of where Evanescence would be without her.