February 18, 2008
The Oakland Press

DETROIT -- Linkin Park doesn't need an elaborate stage setup to impress its audience -- it seems the band wants the audience to focus solely on the music.

The six members of Linkin Park graced the Joe Louis Arena stage Saturday night as part of the band's North American tour to promote the band's third album, 2007's "Minutes to Midnight," following opening sets by fellow headbangers Chiodos, from Davison, Mich., and progressive rockers Coheed & Cambria. The California-based group stripped the black stage of any possible distractions and strived for simplicity, with just four large alternating screens hanging overhead and basic lighting effects.

And it worked. The audience was forced to put their attention on the movement of each band member and the sound of the music, creating an intimate setting. Whether it was the piercing screams of 2001's "One Step Closer" or the soothing tune of "In Pieces" off the band's "Minutes to Midnight" album, each song carried was delivered with palpable intensity. Linkin Park mostly stuck to songs from the double-platinum "Minutes to Midnight" but still incorporated previous hits such as "Crawling," "In the End," "Breaking the Habit" and "Somewhere I Belong."

"Minutes to Midnight" strays away from the band's metallic rap-rock sound and ventures into a more electronic and melodic realm (MC Mike Shinoda only raps on two songs in "Minutes to Midnight"), but retains frontman Chester Bennington's intense screaming. Saturday night's show tended to be more mellow than shows from previous tours, often alternating fast-paced, hard-rockers and soft ballads. The smooth transitions proved that Linkin Park can jumpstart a crowd one minute, then calm it the next.

Both Shinoda and Bennington worked the audience, often putting themselves into the crowd on the main floor in mid-song. Their voices, as usual, complemented each other -- although perhaps due to technical difficulties, Shinoda's mic was turned too low, causing Bennington's already powerful voice to overshadow the rapper's rhymes.

Despite "Minutes to Midnight's" more relaxed feel, it didn't stop Bennington from taking off his shirt, revealing his back covered in an intricate tattoo, and rocking a nearly two-hour show that boasted two encores and showed Linkin Park is still one of hard rock's most intense outfits.

Chiodos, meanwhile, didn't feel an obligation to impress Saturday's audience -- even this close to its home town. With their unpolished appearances and random sound, its six members looked as if their 30-minute set was just another practice in their basement. Guitarist Jason Hale was particularly casual -- barefoot and sporting bright gym shorts, his messy hair held up with a sweat band.

But while Chiodos appeared unorganized and choppy, that spontaneity was intentional. With its irregular beats that mix cabaret-style tunes and some classical with heart-stopping screams, the group's sound defies all categorization. The sextet played songs from its latest album, 2007's "Bone Palace Ballet" -- including "Lexington," "B'ulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered" and "The Words 'Best Friend Become Redefined" -- with ease, as well as a few tracks from its 2005 album, "All's Well That Ends Well."

"It's good to be back in Michigan," lead singer Craig Owens told the partisan crowd. "Show 'em what we have in Rock City," he yelled. And with a little fine tuning and a more cohesive stage presence, Detroit Rock City will be proud to call Chiodos one of its own.