SAN JOSE, CA | Since announcing their return in 2023 with their new vocalist Emily Armstrong, Linkin Park has been on a mission to enter a new phase of the band while maintaining their massive legacy. A previously unreleased song from the One More Light recording sessions was followed by a greatest hits album (Papercuts) and their first new album since 2017, From Zero, featuring Armstrong on vocals. From there, obviously world domination with their “From Zero World Tour” which is currently scheduled to run through June of 2026.
With original guitarist Brad Delson opting out of touring, Alex Feder took on lead guitar duties but the fans will recognize some familiar faces on stage including Joe Hahn (buttons and such), Dave Farrell (bass), and of course frontman Mike Shinoda. Rounding up the lineup was Colin Brittain on drums.
JPEGMafia kicked off the night with an energetic 30 minute set of “experimental rap,” but it was clear that the fans that circled the stage planted firmly in the middle of the arena floor were there to witness Linkin Park’s long-anticipated return to the Bay Area. The massive stage that consumed much of the floor was rimmed with lights and had two massive blocks of screens suspended above. With an abundance of lasers, one really needed to have a bit of distance from the action to truly appreciate the production whose scale aptly matched the magnitude of the band’s return to the stage.
As the crowd patiently waited for Linkin Park’s set, a 10 minute countdown clock appeared on the screens suspended above the stage promptly at 8:25 pm. From there the anticipation built until the whole arena was counting down the seconds until the band finally took the stage led by Joe Hahn before kicking off their set with fan favorite, “Somewhere I Belong.”
Setting up at opposite ends facing the long sides of the venue, the band basically played a two-sided stage with Armstrong/Hahn/Brittain facing one side and Shinoda/Farrell/Feder on the other. This unique configuration seemed to work well for both the band and the crowd.
Broken into several “acts,” the 2-hour set hit the catalog highlights from Hybrid Theory and Meteora but not surprisingly drew heavily from their latest effort with Armstrong. A look around the arena confirmed that these were the long-term fans and were ecstatic to have the band back and performing new material.
Don’t even think about calling them a “nostalgia act”—this is Linkin Park 2.0.
JPGMAFIA
