From Zero World Tour: Linkin Park W/ JPEGMAFIA

Took a journey to the Moda Center in Portland, OR for the show on September 19th to catch one of the bands that helped carry me the most through high school. More on that later. 

To start the night out we had  JPEGMAFIA. This opener wasn't really my cup of tea. I kinda figured that when I took a listen on my regular streaming platform. Aside from my personal tastes they do put on a good performance. The crowd was really into it which says a lot about this act. Lots of back tracks and heavy on the vocal effects which filled the room as they played their set. Kinda created a cyberpunk meets metal meets hip hop vibe for me. The color of the show lights lived in a perpetual wash of red, finally getting a splash of light from the crowds' flashlights. But those did little to wash the scene. Since they weren't nearly as bright as the photographer's stab of light coming from their flash. Rolling into intermission we await the band that helped me through highschool…Linkin Park.

I've never choked up at a concert before, when Linkin Park came on stage and opened with “Somewhere I Belong” it got hard for me to sing. This is my first time seeing them live. I'm impressed. Emily Armstrong brings great energy and vocals to the stage. This was something I wanted to come see and hear.  It's not the Linkin Park I grew up with, and at the same time it is. I can't have the Linkin Park that carried me through High school. Those days are gone and welcome this and the new sound that's so much the same. 

Enough about that, let's talk about lasers and the impressive light show. A wise LD once told me the lights should make the crowd feel the music with their eyes. They do this with their production and they do this well. Pictures and video don't do it justice.

Mike Shinoda came off stage and hugged some bananas. Gave young girl a hat signed by the band and performed “Remember the Name”. The crowd interaction from the band was fantastic. Very direct and personal for those near the stage getting the whole center waving at one time almost creating motion sickness. Which was pretty awesome.

This will be a performance I will remember for a long time coming. My ears are ringing and my voice is hoarse as near the end of their set I sang loudly to “In the End”, “Faint”, and during their encore and then performed “Papercut” which was a fast trip back to high school. They closed the show with a mash up of “Bleed” and “A Place for My Head”.

From the lights, the vocals to the nostalgia. Linkin Park, you put on an amazing show. I'm glad the new generation of fans are getting to experience this.

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Review By: Justin Webb