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Linkin Park in Brooklyn
Linkin Park in Brooklyn sells out Barclays Center for one night only on their From Zero World Tour.
PVRIS
PVRIS is the pop-rock music project of frontwoman Lynn Gunn. The singer opened the night with the song “GOOD ENEMY” which quickly got the crowd headbanging and ready to have fun. PVRIS’s music is a solid mix of an aggressive, traditional, hard rock sound, blended with some more mainstream pop vibes which made them a great opener. The strobe lights, punchy drums and high energy vocals during “Burn The Witch” were what got me hooked and convinced me that PVRIS was the perfect choice to warm up the crowd for the night that was in store.
Linkin Park
A ten minute countdown appeared on the jumbotrons as fans settled into their seats. When the countdown reached zero, a blue laser shot down from the ceiling onto the center of the stage like a beam of light from a UFO. One by one, the band began to walk down a runway through audience members on the floor. The crowd roared as each member took to the stage. The show had yet to begin, but the sold-out venue was vibrating from the excitement of Linkin Park’s die-hard fans.
Massive Stage
Upon entering Brooklyn’s Barclays Center arena, fans were met with a 360 degree stage in the center of the space. The stage was considerably tall, a very rough estimate would have me guessing at least ten feet high. This substantial height looks great from the majority of the arena’s stands, but from the perspective of fans who purchased floor tickets, it was a bit of a neck strain to see onto the vast platform. Thankfully the band members who were not stuck in one place due to their instruments, did move around the stage and interact with fans on all sides. I always notice when bands seem particularly happy because tours can often become routine and performers start taking shows for granted. Linkin Park was all smiles and seemed to thoroughly enjoy putting on their best performance for the Brooklyn venue.
Crowd Interaction
After the song “Two Faced”, singer Mike Shinoda came down into the crowd to say hello to some fans. He picked one fan who was holding up a sign and gave her his hat, which he pointed out was signed by the entire band. Mike told the venue that the fan had written a note to his wife on her sign and said “She called my wife a radiant goddess, that’s automatically how you win my hat.” While he was still amongst the crowd, Shinoda began singing “Remember The Name”, a song by Fort Minor, the hip-hop side project of Shinoda, the music built up until the entire room was chanting the words.
Production Quality
The design and overall production of this concert was engaging, regardless of where in the venue you were watching from. The live footage being portrayed on the screens over the stage had ever changing artwork that interacted with the feed from the stage, without obstructing the view of the people onscreen. I enjoyed the overhead perspective that was given above Joe Hahn as he worked his turntable. There were bursts of fog that would intermittently shoot out from the ceiling in time with certain songs and lasers that interacted with the stage in ways I’ve never seen. During the tracks “New Divide” and “Castle Of Glass” lasers beamed down from the ceiling on each side of the stage, encapsulating the band and forming walls of light around the entire group.
New Lead Singer
In September of 2024, seven years after the death of their long-time lead vocalist Chester Bennington, the band regrouped and Emily Armstrong became the lead singer. This From Zero World Tour is in support of the band’s eighth studio album and is the group’s first time back on the road since their notable addition.
Fan Feedback
I was curious to know how fans felt about the new female lead and it was heartening to hear chatter from the audience of how incredible the show was. Nobody seemed to even be discussing the pretty significant change to the band’s composition. All I could hear was praise and excitement about the show and I must say I am in complete agreement. This performance transcended my expectations. Armstrong is a powerhouse. Her energy and pure talent breathed new life into the long adored music, honoring Linkin Park’s sound while managing to not step outside the lines of how the music has been heard and loved for decades.
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