This is sort of a concert and sort of not a concert, but either way it was cool as hell and just overall excellent. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Hybrid Theory album by Linkin Park. You could say that this album changed the trajectory of their career forever. What better way to celebrate than to bring the band together for the first time in three years since Chester’s passing to relive memories and moments from that time? I couldn’t think of a better one, and then the stream treated us to a never before seen Projekt Revolution Tour show from 2002 in Las Vegas.
Needless to say, the experience was a nostalgic one, and I was happy to see the band in good spirits. Obviously, Chester’s absence was extremely missed, but the band were having a great time reliving the past at a time when their lives literally changed forever. They talked about the early writing process, how they all came together, and got rejected so many times before finally clicking with someone who saw their vision the same way they did. I loved hearing that they never even once considered changing their sound for anyone. They knew that eventually the right person would come along and accept them for who they were. Which at the time was truly revolutionary. You’re talking about mixing two completely distinct genres together to create an insanely unique sound.
The interviewer did a wonderful job fielding fan quality fan questions and allowing each member to say their peace without any interruptions. I especially enjoyed the last bit of the interview where she asked each member to describe a favorite memory of the band from that time and a favorite memory of Chester. I did my best to keep the tears at bay, but I couldn’t help but think of how devastating it was to lose a talent like Chester when the band still had so much farther to go. Will they ever carry on without him? I can’t see how they could, but I’m a fan through and through, so I’ll be cheering along with anything they do in the future.
The concert was amazing and I am seriously jealous of that Las Vegas crowd. It was clear that “My December” was a fan-favorite, and it was kind of crazy not hearing “In the End” as the closing track. My personal favorite song of the show was “Step Up,” which I had never heard before. Their clothes were very par with the times and it was almost hysterical, but more funny than that was seeing Riff Raff make his way to the stage to help out on a song! The set was full of hit after hit, and you never saw Chester or Mike lose their voice throughout the performance. They also sounded as good as the record which is always impressive, especially in this day in age when literally anyone can become famous. The way Chester could switch from angelic vocals to outright growls was incredible and I could still beat myself for never seeing them live. Makes me sad every day, but I’ll take this performance in its place I suppose. If you can get your hands on the limited box set for the anniversary, I think you’ll be in for a world of treats, so don’t sleep on it! Loved every second of this stream.