February 16, 2008
The Columbus Dispatch

There's something oddly endearing about Linkin Park.

Sure, the nu metal and rap-rock crazes have faded. Bands such as Limp Bizkit, which rose to fame alongside the California sextet in the late 1990s, are just a memory.

But Linkin Park, with its hard-hitting yet radio-friendly tunes that boast a sensitive side beneath the record-scratching and frequent yowls, has managed to stay on top. The reasons are many. Their songs are warmer and more intricate. The lyrics, however dour, are smarter. A blend of rap, rock and electronica sets them apart, smartly appealing to a wider crowd.

The band's 70-minute show last night at Nationwide Arena proved that Linkin Park's longevity isn't a fluke.

Waif-like lead singer Chester Bennington handled the set list with high energy, eliciting dozens of his lengthy, raptor-like screeches between verses (seriously, does the dude drink chamomile tea and never talk offstage? It was impressive.)

For a group that's sold 50 million albums, though, the show seemed surprisingly low-key. Lighting was minimal. Rapper Mike Shinoda, sporting an untucked oxford shirt and jeans, looked more like he wandered in from casual Friday at an Arena District workplace.

It didn't affect the music.

In online forums, Linkin Park's latest album, Minutes to Midnight, has been criticized for featuring too many ballads and lacking in rap. But those newer songs, particularly the disc's first single, What I've Done, translated well.

Aside from a few slower tunes, the group barely paused for a breath. Shinoda and Bennington meshed their vocals nicely, weaving their raps, roars and screams from opposite ends of the stage.

Later in the night, flanked by headset-wearing security detail, Bennington weaved through the audience like a presidential hopeful during In the End, shaking hands and giving a few hugs.

Who says tough guys don't have a heart?