52 CONCERTS AND TOURING
After a tumultuous period of loss, silence and reinvention, Linkin Park returned with a tour that re-examined what a live show has potential to be Words Verity Butler Images Chady Awad W hether you’re like me and are at the older end of the Gen Z bracket and had the classic ‘rebellious phase’, or you’re simply someone who favours the rap or heavy metal genres of music, then it is highly likely that Linkin Park played a formative role in your life at some stage or another. Well, they did for me anyway. From the explosive hybrid of rap and metal that defined Hybrid Theory and Meteora , to the more experimental, atmospheric directions of their later albums, Linkin Park have always been there to help steer mopey teens (like myself) towards adulthood. Beyond my own Linkin Park phase, which has long been and gone, there exists an extremely dedicated fanbase that continues to pack out vast venues around the world to see the cult band perform. Unfortunately, Linkin Park’s approach to performance was forced to drastically adapt due to very sad circumstances. When lead singer Chester Bennington passed away back in 2017, the remaining members of Linkin Park had no choice but to totally redefine what Linkin Park was – all while finding a way to preserve Bennington’s influence and legacy. After a seven-year hiatus, and the departure of old as well as the recruitment of new members, the band returned with a bang in 2024, with the release of their From Zero album. Following this was the announcement of a 59-date arena tour across four continents in the second half of 2025. It proved to be a tour like no other for the band. A tightly choreographed and immersive experience, the tour blended performance, playback, broadcast, visual production and recording into a single organism. The aim was to have the show translate equally effectively for an attendee standing on the barricade, a fan watching through a live stream on the other side of the world or an editor pulling out segments months later for archival or documentary use.
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