January 31, 2008
Backstage Pass

I’m not the tallest of critters but I feel like a giraffe on stilts when my new gig buddy and I find our seats on the fourth level of the O2 Arena. Will we see the roaring fury of Linkin Park from way back here? Luckily, we needn’t worry. The show is a spectacle from wherever you’re sitting and Chester Bennington’s voice packs such a punch we feel it where it hurts. Fan-bloody-tastic.

But I’m ahead of myself. The vibe before the gig is electric too. The restaurants aren’t packed but the line-ups for beer are longer than I’ve ever seen them at this venue. You could say this says a lot about Linkin Park fans. I just think they know it’s going to be hot in that mosh pit. Steam rises from the sweat bath before us; never before have I seen such a pulsating mass. I gave a nod of respect to the moshers at Simple Plan’s gig earlier this week but they were babies in a play pen compared to this lot.

From the moment the lights dim, the fans are beside themselves. The monstrous stage explodes beneath a wall of flashing white spotlights and the masses reach a state of hysteria when their heroes are revealed from behind a towering curtain. Oh my… the fun is about to begin.

The next hour-and-a-half is a blur. Some of it has to do with the booze we’ve guzzled, but mostly it’s the sheer force of the spectacle we’re witnessing. The sextet prowl the stage with more energy than your average puppy. We get a mix of electro, nu-metal, guitar riffs, rap and even a bit of banter. The latter hardly seems necessary – these Californians have adoration on their side.

Not many artists can perfect the difficult art of melodic roaring. Bennington has it down to a tee. Our insides shudder along with every word. This is the way a concert was meant to be. The band has sold over fifty million copies of their three studio albums and the punters know every last word.

‘Faint’, ‘Somewhere I Belong’, ‘Points of Authority’ and ‘Hands Held High’ all make an appearance. New tracks – ‘Wake’ and ‘Given Up’ prove that in the eyes of the fans, the new is even better than the old. ‘Numb’ receives the expected mass sing-along and the shining cameraphones sway to the beat. Don’t people do lighters anymore? The security guard does his best to force rising bums back to their seats.

We leave with new friends by our side and smiles on our sweaty dials. The biggest smiles however, come from the people in general admission. The frontman’s impromptu jaunt through the barriers provided some up-close-and personal action for a lucky few. Then again, maybe I’m mistaking the smiles for barrier-bruised grimaces of pain.