Linkin Park at Wembley Stadium
Selling out Wembley Stadium is no small feat, more so after emerging from a seven-year hiatus and announcing fundamental lineup changes. For Linkin Park, it’s an important one – it’s their first large-scale world tour with new vocalist Emily Armstrong, and the first since the tragic loss of Chester Bennington, whose death by suicide in 2017 had plunged the band’s future into uncertain waters.
“We’ve never played Wembley, so this is really exciting,” the band’s ever-charming de facto leader, Mike Shinoda, tells the crowd, which at this point has been warmed up with recognisable classics like Somewhere I Belong, Crawling and Lying From You. Bookended with heavy hitters from Meteora and The Hybrid Theory, the setlist has a core of newer material, including 2024’s From Zero, the first album featuring Armstrong and new drummer Colin Brittain.
It’s almost impossible to watch Linkin Park live without thinking of Bennington, whose dynamic range and ability to alternate from the subtlest whisper to the most powerful roar had become synonymous not only with the band itself but with the new genre they spearheaded, which had a hand in shaping modern rock music. Armstrong’s appointment as LP’s new vocalist had drawn mixed reactions from hardcore fans, but with 90,000 people turning up to Wembley to watch this new iteration of the band, it’s clear she’s been accepted as a worthy successor, and not, as many feared, merely a replacement.
It’s hard to doubt the new vocalist’s singing chops and chemistry with the rest of the band when tackling iconic songs like Faint and One Step Closer, and in those moments, it becomes clear why she was recruited to fill such heavy boots. Others, like What I’ve Done and Bleed It Out, don’t hit as hard, but her voice still soars and morphs, effortlessly harmonising with Shinoda, whose amazing ability to rap, sing and play several instruments, while also acting as an emcee, drives LP’s performances.
The magnitude of the stadium doesn’t stop the band from having a little fun, adding an audience-choice touch of reggaeton to the beat of Numb, and covering a few songs from Shinoda’s side project Fort Minor. These pockets of joy are reminders that this is not a nostalgia tour; newer fans are everywhere, giving a lot of love to recent songs like The Emptiness Machine, Casualty and Up From the Bottom.
There are no direct tributes to Bennington, but the show itself feels like an affirmation of a legacy that still has room for growth. With respect for their past, Linkin Park are still evolving and creating, with a new sense of purpose. From Zero – the album and tour – marks a new era in the band’s history, and their fans are already embracing it.
Antigoni Pitta
Photos: Courtesy of Linkin Park
For further information and future events, visit Linkin Park’s website here.
Watch the video for Up From the Bottom here:
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