Linkin Park Hunting Party Tour Manchester Phones 4 U Arena 22.11.2014

Linkin Park Hunting Party Tour

Manchester Phones 4 U Arena

22.11.2014

 

Linkin Park have been a musical unit of performers since the late 1990s formed in US state of Arizona, they have been a force to be reckoned with mixing metal with rap (heads up to 1 Mike Shinoda the best MC of a generation) and their clever use of Melodic Sounds and huge evergrowing fan base from around the world.

 

It was in March of 2008 the last time I seen them play live here on the 'Minutes To Midnight' tour,i was desperate for them to tour again here in the U.K. this year the new album 'Hunting Party' came out I was so desperate for them to not forget us that I tweeted the band and Chester saying "We need to put the 'Chester' back in #Manchester come back and Tour soon" a few days later probably not related to my tweet they announced 3 days just 3 days Manchester, and 2 in London so I was ready for the presale,I was ready so was Manchester.

 

I arrive early to find that there was no one there til around 12pm and few of us gathered talking,but we learn that there is Early Entry and there is 90 that will get in before us general admission minions,I was annoyed I'd checked the Live nation website for packages but I hadnt thought of their website LPU and it was too late so I thought,eventually after a series of  uneasy shufflings with our queue I decide to upgrade when the opportunity to join LPU and gain Early Entry popped up in the form of one of their representatives,only £15 now that I joined the other queue I'm more relaxed among some equally hard core fans.

 

I get into  the venue around 5.45pm and we are let by way of the usual entry the 'Death Stairs' as I call them,people behind me are not aware of how high up we are so I make sure I tell them as we perilesly come down the steps slowly,eventually I'm at the bottom I make a dash for the walkway left side of main stage .

 

Tonight support is from 'Of Mice & Men' from Orange County California,they  are just becoming popular over here with a new single doing the rounds on rock TV,the singer has a deep gut wrenching vocal technique,you know the type Angry roar from the diaphragm but deeper than usual,I join in the moshing and rock horns it's a ritual I'm familiar with being an old skool Muser !!

 

Singer 'Alex' is very confident and get us to sing along and asks us "Are you all looking forward to seeing 'Linkin Park",the crowd roar,They do a good job of warming the crowd up but they are not my cup of tea.

 

At 8.30pm the lights go down after a 'Music Relief' campaign trailer on the screens (a charity helping people in communities in Africa to have electric light bulbs and basic resources,great idea) The band take to the stage from the right to left first 'Phoenix appears followed by 'Mike Shinoda', then the others and  mainman 'Chester' bounces on stage in Grey Vest and Black Trousers and his trademark trainers,already the energy on stage is going off as he begins the first mashup of the night '1 Step Closer','Guilty All The Same' the sound is very Bassy tonight and I cant hear straight away what the songs are .

 

'Chester' leaps from one box to another (In front are some steel boxes positioned between the amps) then it's onto the fast paced racing track  'Given Up' ,I almost forgot how small in frame 'Chester' was in real life, his arms covered in tattoos of all colours and designs, he's tattooed all over basically he's looking awesome.

 

'Mike' is on guitar and his keyboards are  at the centreback of the stage ,he holds out his arms pointing to the crowd and he does his thing on the mic and use's the short catwalk to get the crowd going  on 'Points Of Authority' from debut album 'Hybrid Theory' now multi platinum selling and on every twenty somethings mp3 player no doubt.

 

'Chester' still bounces about with his lyrics rolling of his tongue at times like deadly venom ,he runs up and down the walkway he almost dives into the crowd he shakes hands and high fives them,the next song the band play is 'Papercut' (This is the first song I remember from MTV its what got me interested in their music).

 

Later on we are treated to a special guest on vocals with the band  'Aaron' from 'Of Mice And Men' takes to stage left with Mike and sings the medley 'Leave Out All The Rest/Shadow Of The Day',I wish the sound was better tonight I think the amps and the speakers weren't very clear probably all the yelling has upset them lol.

 

Mr Hahn has his own section in the show on the decks the stage is cut into symmetrical cubes with moving LED Light screens they elevated up like a shortened version  of  'The Resistance' Tour ,he resides on the left corner ,it looks very high with lights flicking off and on as he spins through a beat heavy set.

 

Nearly encore time and we get a great version of 'Burn It Down' which is one of my favourites,and the chirpy 'Waiting For The End',then this years single from 'Hunting Party'  'Final Masquerade' and next 'Numb' and 'In The End' where 'Chester' spends more time with the fans to the right of him and grab him into the pit,he loves it  and he gets back onto the stage,unfortunately he dosent walk over to our side.

 

' Mike' raps and also makes use of the walkway to greet fans with high fives and then uses his arms to gesture the crowd wearing his trademark baseball cap,Encore time as 'Chester walks back on with no shirt on showing off all his tatts on his chest and back the famous 'Linkin park' writing etched onto  his lower back now on display,he pogos up and down everywhere as 'New Divide' kicks in (from Transformers The Movie folks!! if you don't know their stuff you know that one ),he's so much energy he looks like an excitable 'Jackinabox', and 'Crawling' draws in screams everyones fav college song  memories of 2001.

 

You almost forget how many hits they have had until they come together 'Until It's gone' makes way for  'What I've Done' and the last song more of a surprise 'Bleed It Out' which see's Mike hurtling down the walkway rapping with conviction one of my highlights of the night,I was again on flag duty with a Polish male fan who follows them on tour everywhere,he had a 'Linkin Park' silk flag with soldier design,I made sure that they all seen it when the lights went up and brightened the crowd holding it aloft with him.

 

 

'Chester' took one more walk down the walkway to shake more hands of fans and take the applause and he left us with a giant windmill of kisses,'Mike' came down too and took the applause,Job done Manchester Conquered!!

 

I do hope they wont leave it so long to come back again,Pics are up in the gallery and can be seen when I post the next link !!

 

Til Then

 

 

LMi   x