Lisa Verrico at the O2 Arena, London SE10
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If young rock acts are struggling to sell albums, someone forgot to tell Linkin Park. Seven years since their debut, Hybrid Theory, won a Grammy, the Californian sextet have shifted more than 50 million copies of just three studio albums, including Minutes to Midnight last year, which topped the charts in 16 countries, including Britain.
Variously labelled rock-rap, nu-metal and rock-pop, Linkin Park proved to be a bit of all three at a riotous London show that barely paused for breath and often felt like a competition between band and fans as to which could make more noise. From the moment Linkin Park appeared, silhouetted behind a white curtain, the O2 floor was a mass of bobbing heads. When the curtain dropped, a mix of fists and camera phones shot into the air, where they stayed for the next 90 minutes.
The crop-haired, black-clad, tattooed singer Chester Bennington immediately revealed how he stays so skinny - he bounced around like a ping-pong ball, pausing only to leap onto a box at the front of the stage before he was off again.
Bennington's vocal default setting is scream, but with as much pop as hard rock in the guitar riffs, subtle electronics and catchy choruses, the sound never came close to genuine aggression. Indeed, when they performed Minutes to Midnight's schmaltzy slowie Valentine's Day, the spectre of Nickelback loomed large.
With Rick Rubin at its helm, the latest album edged away from the rock-rap hybrid with which Linkin Park first made their mark - a wise move, since the older songs sounded distinctly dated.
The crowd might have lapped up Faint, clapped through Somewhere I Belong and chanted every line of Points of Authority - all driven by Mike Shinoda's raps and backed by hip-hop beats - but the hymnal Hands Held High, where Shinoda switched to singing, had a fresher, punchier impact, while the night's highlight was a blend of two new tracks - Wake and Given Up - that boasted an apocalyptic intro, juggernaut guitars and a dash of fun, Sex Pistols punk.
If Linkin Park truly want to toughen up, however, Bennington will have to ditch his daft chat. “Leave it to London to build the biggest, baddest venue on the face of the Earth,” he yelled, surveying a sterile arena that looks like a big high school sports hall. And, when he jumped into the crowd, he took two bodyguards with him and stayed behind the barriers. Big softie.
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If this is how the London gig went (which it apparently didn't according to other comments) it was not a touch of the spectacle I witnessed in Manchester's MEN arena.
The show was bouncing right from when the crowd first saw the curtain [on stage] and only got louder and more hyperactive as the night went on. In fact, I was surprised to see the building was actually in the same place as it ws before the show!
Sorry Lisa, but it seems like I am not the only person to have admired arguably the best live band of these times and been left in sheer awe for days afterwards. It was well worth 2 days of near deafness!
Matt Dillon, Douglas, Isle of Man
We went to the Nottingham show and it was awesome! I've been going to shows since the 50's and LP were the best I've ever seen.
Jan Durose, Ripley, UK
Dated??! I have to reiterate what the comments above have said, this lady obviously wasn't at the same gig. LP and Nickelback couldn't be more different. The crowd went wild with songs old and new proving that LP's music is great now as it was when hybrid theory first came out
Ilkin, London,
I went to the Monday concert and thought LP were amazing. Lisa, I am sorry but I could not disagree more with your review.
antonella, london, uk
This review is rediculous! Was Lisa Verrico even at either of the two gigs!? Chester's vocals were amazing, and the setlist was pretty impressive...I don't understand what sounded "dated" about any of the older material...it simply doesn't date!
The banter with the crowd was great, after all, do you just want some sour faced musicians who couldn't give a monkeys about whether the crowd made a noise or not? No, you want them to gee everyone up, you want the cheesy one liners and the never ending competition to see who could get the loudest cheer from their side of the stage...it's all part of the show!
As for the bodyguards...would you jump into a huge crowd of Londoners, when you know they all want to take a piece of you home as a souvenir??
The O2 is an amazing venue and Linkin Park are simply one of the best bands on the planet!
Annmarie Sproule, Bexleyheath,
O2 Arena Tuesday 29th January 2008
simple, THEY ROCKED !
They just have be seen to be believed to understand just how much energy they pack. I left the gig feeling they played for the fans and hit the target square on the face.
Pity the O2 arena kepy our tickets on entry as I now have no momento of the visit at all ............ except my memories.
Man, I was smiling all the time at work the next day.
Steve G, Stevenage, London, UK
i was at the M.E.N arena and they rocked there to.
This lisa women doesnt know LP at all, i thought it was great, i loved the way LP interact with the crowd!
peace out
Maconie90, wigan/manchester, uk
The boys certainly delivered the goods on Tuesday night. They took a while to get the gig started but when they did it was whirlwind time!! I prefer the songs from the first two albums so I was more than happy with their playlist. I don't think the band need to toughen up at all. As long as they're having fun on stage and entertaining us, then that's all that matters.
James, London, England
I was at the show and this review is unbelieveable! Not written from the point of view of a fan but someone who doesnt understand rock music (having compared Linkin Park to Nickleback, and even an element of the Sex Pistols, need I say anymore) and evidently in labelling the Hybrid Theory songs as 'outdated' clearly doesnt understand the impact of Hybrid Theory in changing the face of rock music.
As for the show itself, Chester and Mike did an amazing job in engaging with the crowd, to the point of humouring us all with a rendition of umbrella, and involving the ENTIRE crowd from front to back. The song list was a perfect mix of old and new material.
As for 'needing to grow up'? The newest album might have deviated away from their original sound but what band should have to change their music to adapt to the music industry?!
And 'Hands Held High' had a 'fresher, punchier impact'?? I dont know which show Lisa Verrico went to on the 28th/29th but it sure as hell wasnt Linkin Park.
Nikita Shah, Hatch End, England
I may not be a music critic but a huge fan. I thought Chesters vocals were some of the best Iâve heard an his energy on stage was electric .He whipped the crowd from one frenzy to another throughout the night and delivered their new an old material with ease (even the screaming). the O2 arena held the acoustics fantastically even if you were sat at the back.I think that as a band theyâve moved effortlessly through the years theyâve been around and as the song title aptly puts it IN THE END Linkin Park sounded better live than recorded. Say no more.
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sandra , harwich, england
i agree with david from the first song to the last linkin park was just pure intensity as for the old songs they sound great live the fans were superb on monday night as i was at the front with them you tell me a another gig were the fans were singing as loud word for word every song as linkin park were singing the only dissapointment was biffy clyro set i thought it was not as good as when supported muse at wembley as for linkin park they rocked the o2 find me a person who was there to disagree with me cant wait till they in the uk again maybe your writer should stick to girls aloud or westlife as dnt know much about rock bands
mark jarvis, wymondham, england norfolk
Is this Lisa Verrico for real! i was at the gig last night (28/01/2008) and she couldnt be further from right.
The minutes to midnight album was a big change from Hybrid Theory and Meteora, but the band didnt make the change cos it had too, it made the change because it wanted too, because it wanted to express where the band felt they were musically at the time.
To say the songs from the 2 previous albums sounded dated is ludicrous. The crowd couldn't have been louder or more appreciative of the older songs and lapped up hits such as Lying from you, Numb and the ever loud and aggressive Crawling and One Step Closer. The band went to the other end of scale with a quite superbly beautiful piano version of the B side My December.
The band have simply grown musicly and delivered a superb third studio album.
As for needing to grow up, Linkin Park have won a truely huge fan base who love them for who they are and what they do, why does Chester or any of the band need to change?
David Chesney, Taunton, England