Linkin Park are a very strange band. Refraining from using the term 'nu-metal', they incorporate everything: part rock, part hip-hop, part electronica, with a smidgen of pop thrown in for good measure. Experienced live, the result can be spectacular but sadly at times inconsistent.
On Sunday night London's O2 Arena was rammed to the rafters for Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington and company. Seats filled with avid fans who would belt out every song word for word as the evening went on, proving that their crowd are among the most hardcore out there.
With set opener 'Guilty All The Same', a definitive statement of intent, the first third of the show exhibited some of the incredible live energy the band are so famous for. They offset classic Hybrid Theory tracks with new Hunting Party songs expertly, maintaining the hype and breakneck pace with ease.
Most impressive about the revisiting of the older material were the minor alterations that were added. 'One Step Closer', 'Papercut' and 'Points Of Authority' were given much heavier renditions that remained familiar but carried extra impact.
At this point in the set, the stage production was surprisingly spartan, something that would change as the band rolled into the next part of the show. Based around cubes that would light up with artwork and live images, the focus shifted from impact to spectacle by proxy of electronics and anthems.
Sadly there were moments where it fell more than a little short. By jumping into 'Castles Of Glass' (Experience version), things took a step into EDM territory. The result was an immediate diffusion of the incredible energy that was previously felt in the room. Then the band jumped into ballad territory which only made things worse. If there ever was a time to go to the bar, this was it.
After 'Final Masquerade', Mike Shinoda began to claw things back together with a double time rendition of Fort Minor classic 'Remember The Name'. Then the set suddenly hit its nostalgia supernova, with a singalong version of 'In The End' that impressively saw the crowd almost drowning out Chester Bennington's vocals.
For an encore the crowd received a jam-packed shot of Linkin Park goodness with tracks like 'Krawling' and 'Lost In The Echo', shortened down to just their verse and chorus. With four tracks in a row shortened down, it did wonders for the previously lingering pace, but undoubtably left a few fans wanting more.
As the rush back to North Greenwich tube began, one thing was clear. In attempting to appease everyone - new and old, fans of the hip hop elements, fans of the EDM elements - the set was sadly unable to keep any of specific fan base completely happy. At their best, Linkin Park live are incredible: in the future you just hope that for their next arena show Shinoda, Bennington and co. will try and actually please fewer people by playing to their strengths.
