August 23, 2009

From Artist Direct

The Pomona Fairplex's massive crowd welcomed endless aftershocks from Tool, Linkin Park, Alice In Chains and a surprise appearance by Link Park vocalist Chester Bennington's latest project, Dead By Sunrise.

In some ways, Dead By Sunrise represented everything so refreshing about the festival. After playing an hour with Linkin Park, Chester addressed the crowd saying, "Hope you don't mind me bringing my new band, Dead By Sunrise out. We're going to play a few songs for you. Let us know what you think."

The crowd's response was beyond electric. Bennington immediately launched into, "Crawl Back In," the first single from Dead By Sunrise's forthcoming Warner Bros. debut, Out of Ashes [due out October 13]. "Crawl Back In" bled true hard rock swagger. Bennington's inimitable voice pulsated with power as he snaked across the stage in classic fashion. Ryan Shuck's riffs coupled with Amir Derakh's base forged a raw gutter rock backdrop for Bennington to slink through. "Crawl Back In" touted an anthemic refrain, and Dead By Sunrise completely hypnotized listeners. On "Fire," the band pulled back some of the intensity, paving the way for a sweeping chorus. Bennington never stopped moving though. His energy was palpable and the lyrics on "My Suffering" felt poetic. Dead By Sunrise played a personal and powerful set, perfectly prefacing their debut—which is bound to be one of the best rock records of the year.

Linkin Park stood out, equally rapturous. From the neck-snapping riff on "Given Up" to the syncopated stomp of "No More Sorrow," the SoCal sextet sounded fierce and fresh. Their set sizzled with an undeniable chemistry, bubbling over with explosive energy. On the more introspective fare like "Leave Out All the Rest" and "Somewhere Belong," Linkin Park were just as alive as they were on an atomic rendition of "Crawling." Mike Shinoda commanded his keyboard, and the combination of his voice and Chester's lifted Linkin Park to U2's level of pop rock mastery. Shinoda's ominous piano buildup channeled Nine Inch Nails, but with a futuristic bent. Brad Delson's apocalyptic riff crunch crushed during "Faint" and "One Step Closer," while Rob Bourdon pounded his kit to oblivion. Dave "Phoenix" Farrell lit up a fiery low-end, and Mr. Hahn's electronics gave "New Divide" life. Linkin Park performed a show to remember.

From Los Angeles Times

Earlier, Linkin Park arrived at dusk and played to an excited crowd pumping the air as band members swept across the stage, making big moves to match big sounds of hard rock and hip-hop. The sextet showed vulnerability between the rages on "Leave Out All the Rest" as singer Chester Bennington pleaded on the wounded closing lyric: "I can't be who you are!"

The group's ease of melody within the grind and rage is its greatest asset. The metal never dissolved into sludge, the raps of Mike Shinoda remained clear and direct, and there were several instrumental interludes to dig deeper into the songs beyond their existence as radio hits.

Late in Linkin Park's performance, the band left the stage while Bennington's promising new project, Dead by Sunrise, appeared for a three-song set, beginning with the straight-ahead rock of "Crawl Back In." The act's brief appearance has been tried to some success overseas, but it might have been more of an event, and less of a mainstage interruption, if performed instead on one of the festival's smaller stages.

There are good reasons (experience, fan excitement, etc.) for new bands, even when they're fronted by platinum-selling singers, to work their way up from smaller venues.

From Orange Country Register

Linkin Park played one of those shows, earlier this decade at the Coliseum when it was still figuring out its style. Saturday, however, in its only North American performance this year, LP proved mature and agile enough to adjust its approach to fit the mood.

Rather than attack with angry angst, the band ramped up the synthetics of its sound, reminding in songs like "Breaking the Habit" that Depeche Mode is as much an influence as anything heavier, while smoothing over the edges of "Crawling in My Skin" and "Shadow of the Day" so that they slotted evenly alongside the acidic grunge of Alice in Chains and the math-metal of Tool.

The set was so devoid of the usual Linkin Park clichés -– Chester Bennington (left) performing more regally, Mike Shinoda spitting rhymes of consciousness between tracks – that it's a shame it had to be interrupted by a three-song spotlight on Bennington's side project Dead by Sunrise, including O.C. guys from Orgy and Julien-K.

Their album, Out of Ashes, doesn’t drop until Oct. 13, but this wasn’t a promising sneak peek. It’s a step backward, with Bennington and friends blatantly mimicking others: Nirvana for “Crawl Back In,” Queens of the Stone Age and Green Day and the Strokes for “Fire.”