LINKIN PARK‘s first full-length show following the addition of Emily Armstrong and Colin Brittain concluded with a tense moment as Mike Shinoda addressed accusations made by Chester Bennington‘s son, Jaime.
Since Armstrong was announced as the new vocalist, Jaime has been highly critical of the decision on social media. In response to the backlash, Bennington offered a three-part explanation for why people might struggle to accept the new lineup. One of his points was a claim that LINKIN PARK had “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy” during a recent interview, even during International Suicide Prevention Month.
Despite his objections, Bennington attended the show seeking closure. He shared that his attempts to contact the band for tickets were ignored, forcing him to secure them through a friend.
Before playing the final song of their encore, Shinoda addressed the audience, asking for a show of hands from those who had seen LINKIN PARK previously and those who were attending their first show.
Impressed by the nearly equal number of first-time attendees, Shinoda continued his remarks: “That’s incredible. That’s part of why we’re back out there. It is not about erasing the past – it is about starting this new chapter into the future, and coming out here for each and every one of you.”
“We love playing for you guys, we love writing this music – we’re very f**king excited about the new record,” he continued. “So thank you guys very much – we’ve had an incredible night with you. Hopefully we’ll see you soon.” The band then finished out the evening with “Bleed It Out” which can be seen along with the speech below.
Was Shinoda indirectly addressing Bennington‘s accusation of LINKIN PARK erasing Chester Bennington‘s legacy? The use of the phrase “erasing the past” in Shinoda‘s speech aligns with Bennington‘s wording. Additionally, the band’s previous livestream, where they encouraged the audience to become Chester‘s voice and sing along, further suggests a potential connection to the ongoing controversy.
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