Linkin Park moves crowd with high-energy performance

For The Fans, By The Fans. Look Beyond The Mainstream. Since 2001.

Revving up the crowd was no struggle for Linkin Park last night in Cincinnati as the Honda Civic Tour stopped at Riverbend Music Center. The
six-piece enthusiastically performed a set list equally as diverse as the Los Angeles band's blend of genres--performing select songs from each of the
band's five albums.

Fans stood up and remained on their feet as the stage went dim and Beastie Boys' "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn" blared from the speakers. Linkin Park
then emerged to open with "Faint" quickly followed by "Paper Cut." The stage production resembled Linkin Park's Meteora package with a ramp and a
large HD screen as a backdrop.

The sustained energy of the band and crowd never flattened throughout the 90-minute performance. Each song became an undirected choral
arrangement as fans sang, screamed and rapped in unison. The only song that seemed to throw fans for a loop and sidetrack the cathartic experience
was the Ministry-sounding track "Victimized" from the band's latest release Living Things.

A stripped-down version of "Leave Out All The Rest," with Mike Shinoda behind the piano and Chester Bennington behind the mic, was dedicated to a
fan going through cancer treatments. The song was combined with an emotional medley of "Shadow Of The Day" and "Iridescent."

Spurts of pyro flares were introduced during the band's pre-encore performance of "One Step Closer." The band returned to close the night with "Burn
It Down," "In The End" and "Bleed It Out," which was mixed with a cover Beastie Boy's "Sabotage."

Despite band member's previous side projects Dead By Sunrise and Fort Minor, Linkin Park remains just as explosive as they were in Feb. 2001 at
Newport Music Hall in Columbus. Sure, now in their mid-30s the band has graduated from previous teen anger to fuel motivation for music, but as
announced by Bennington, the band's debut album from 2000 continues to sell: Hybrid Theory just hit 10 million in U.S. sales.

Incubus performed a solid set as well with an album-matching live performance. Brandon Boyd's mesmerizing vocals and the band's talented
musicianship encompassed fans throughout the set.

The crowd started moving during "Circles" and "Megalomaniac." During the intimate "Promises, Promises" candles were lit on stage and blown out by
Boyd which led to "Drive" and "Pardon Me."

The band nixed "Wish You Were Here," but the crowd was rewarded by hearing a live version of "Hello," a Lionel Ritchie cover. The band's backdrop
featured a large screen with various psychedelic designs and distorted close-ups of band members.

Mutemath opened the Honda Civic Tour and offered an incredible mix of incalculable musings and sounds that mysteriously aligned without ailment
complete with a flexible stage allowing each band member to showcase their diverse instrumental talents.

The tour concludes Sept. 10 in California. See all dates here.

Concert Review: Honda Civic Tour
Linkin Park moves crowd with high-energy performance

Written By NEIL SHUMATE Photos By JARED PERKINS