8-16-2008 East Troy, WI

[Southpaw]

This show was my first real concert I was at. I have always wanted Linkin Park to play in Wisconsin again. The last time they had played here was 2004, back when I pretty new to them. When I seen they were coming here again, I knew this was my chance to see the band I've always wanted to see.

 

I was going to buy myself a ticket. I had missed the LPU pre sale. Music For Relief wanted people to work in the booth and would see LP for free. I knew that was my opportunity. Well, along came a post on the LPU about someone from Alaska giving two tickets for free to this particular place. I couldn't believe it. The guy said he couldn't go because he didn't have the money to go, and Alaska is quite a ways away from Wisconsin. He wanted his son in Chicago to go, but he couldn't go either. So this guy had people email him to see who he should give the tickets to. I sent him an email explaining that I live in the state the concert is at, and I've always wanted to see LP. I got an email back saying I got them.

 

I couldn't believe this happened. I got the tickets in the mail and kept them in a safe spot. I wanted my best friend to go, but I didn't have a car then, and our parents wouldn't let us go alone. So I asked by brother, and he said he go. Seeing that East Troy is way down near Illinois, my brother had his best friend pick me up and drop me off at my other brother's house for two nights. My bro picked my up from our other brother's house, bought some snacks & soda, then went to Alpine Valley. My brother knows East Troy pretty well, and has been to alpine before.

 

There were a ton of people tailgating. The smell of brats and burgers, people playing Linkin Park through their car stereos. It was a great sight. I had always imagined the place larger than it was. When we got there. Armor For Sleep was playing on the Revolution Stage. We really didn't see any of the Rev Stage bands. Saw a little bit of Atreyu. We watched all the bands on the Main Stage.

 

My brother was most happy to be there because Chris Cornell was there. He didn't know who he was until Cornell played. Him being able to see Linkin Park and Chris Cornell for free really made my brother happy. Things weren't working well for him then, but going to that concert with me is really something he needed. We both said this is the happiest we've ever seen each other.

 

 

 

So on the show review: I was thrilled with the setlist LP played at the show. The biggest reason was because No More Sorrow was the show opener, and Pushing Me Away was the studio version. It kind of seemed like LP wasn't too much into the crowd that much. Chester said it was a good crowd, Mike said about he saw people with old-school LP shirts, and Papercut was for them. He said a little "Hell Yeah!" before Chester sang the first verse to Points Of Authority. Chris Cornell & Chester was pretty damn good on Crawling. What really shocked me, and turned my opinion was the start of Bleed It Out. Mike & Chester with rockstar wigs on and playing a cover of the 2nd verse from Sweet Child O' Mine.

 

Overall, I was thrilled with a great performance. Chester did mess up on What I've Done. I wish I could have had a Meet & Greet but I was fortunate to have what I got.

 

 

Things worked out for me that night because my brother's best friend lives in East Troy. I stayed the night at his place with my brother, then his friend drove me back home. I was very lucky things worked out this way, and it's one I'll never forget.

[LPxDC]

thats pretty cool you got to go tix free. Yeesh 0__0

your super lucky you got to see SCOM/BIO! Nice Review Bro

[LPPhan2005]

At that show too....here's my review:

 

Ah...Summer of 2008

My parents said I could go to only one concert that year (which was Virgin Fest...see my other review). However, the day after I got back from my camp, my mom bought me a ticket to Alpine Valley because I was going to Chicago to visit my grandparents. I was totally stoked! Surely enough, I flew from my homestate of Maryland to Chicago to get prepped for my 4th LP show. I spent some time with my grandparents the day before I had to leave. When the day came, it was around noon when me and my mom made the two-hour drive to Alpine Valley. It was my first time in Wisconsin and there were a lot of farms. Finding Alpine Valley was very easy as soon as we entered Wisconsin.

When we entered the gates, I saw a building on top of a hill, so I thought that was the venue. My mom had been skiing there and she told me it wasn't the venue. As I stepped out of my rental car, I immediately inhaled the esscences of barbequed food. There was a lot of tailgating! After the two-hour drive, my mom immediately made her way to the portapotties. However, trouble stuck when a "horsefly" buzzed around my head. I swatted at it only for the insect to retaliate with a sharp stinging. FUCK! It turns out the "horsefly" was a fucking wasp! The sting was itchier than it was painful. I was not going to leave for a fucking beesting! As soon as we entered the venue, I went to the medical tent to recieve some ointment. They said if I was allergic, I would have to be under medical supervision for 6 hours. FUCK NO! I WANNA ROCK!

Hawethorne Heights was finishing up their set. They are fucking lucky LP put them on the bill. It's kinda funny how this is their first tour since Casey's death and Casey died in my hometown. Casey also died on my brother's birthday...

I was totally pumped for 10 Years. During the wait, the Rev Stage screen (wtf?) displayed an MFR vid where Phi, Joe and Claudio Sanchez were building houses and talking about how MFR is the shit. Who can argue? 5 minutes later, Given Up was being played over the PA System. The whole crowd was singing along. Unfortunately, Given Up was cut short for a Verizon Ad

10 Years opened with Russian Roulette. One of my favorites! I don't remember a lot from their set, but I got some nice pix of Jesse crushing a Monster Can Most of the set was spent headbanging and singing along all the words with Tater (he did the same thing when I saw them with Mudvayne). The highlights were probably Russian Roulette, 11:00 AM, Prey, Waking Up, So Long Goodbye and Wasteland. Of course everyone was singing along to Wasteland (big radio single ). Great ending! To make things better, my sting was virtually gone!

10 minutes later, the "A-Team" theme song was playing on the PA. What an intro for Atreyu! They kicked into Doomsday and everyone was rockin hard! They also played Right Side of the Bed and Exs and Ohs well! I wasnt as into Atreyu then but that kickass performance blew my mind! They closed with my favorite song by them, Lipgloss and Black! In the middle of the song, Alex made everyone get on one knee and jump on his command. Sort of like Slipknot, except Corey is much better at getting everyone to do what he says. At the end of their phenomenal set, my mom was holding a spot for me in line to meet Atreyu. Sweet! The security were kind of assholes for not letting me get a pic with Brandon. I got a poster signed for me and another signed for my brother back home. They were kinda nice (not as nice as LP). After that, I went to the merch booth and bought a 10 years shirt, a PR shirt and a PR poster. The poster was a little nasty because it had a lady licking an AK-47 like it was a big, hard....[lollipop].

I missed SDC but I knew they would be with LP. After I got my seats, Ashes Divide took the stage. They were met with little applause, same with the Bravery. Chris Cornell was great because his acoustic version of Like a Stone was perfect. Spoonman and Outshined were great too. I loved the big ass drumsolo during Spoonman. His closer of Rusty Cage was great.

When LP was setting up, we noticed all the percussion stuff ready for SDC. I guess this is the closest thing LP could get to a "backup band". No More Sorrow opened the main set, after SDC did their thing. Great opener, but LP's budjet was obviously cut short (hence the boring/nonvideo backdrop). The show went by pretty fast, considering there was little dialogue until between Crawling and LOATR. Thats when Chester promised the new album. The collaboration with Chris Cornell was impressive. Hearing PMA and CFTI live for the first time was quite a treat. Now for the real treat!

As the rest of the band and SDC was prepping for the finale, Rob was doing his ever so amazing solo. He made a small drumset sound like a bigass Alex Van Halen set! The best part though is when Chester and Mike came out in wigs! Chester asks if he can get a "hellyeah!" and we responded with a "hellyeah". He says we're gonna play some Guns N' Roses. So they played it they did. A bit fast but Chester made it sound good. Of course, it went into BIO, then the SDC solo and Chester and Mike were just laughing their asses off while talking about "rocknroll". It was the longest I've ever seen BIO, at over 12 minutes! I walked out that venue seeing LP for the 4th time in my life. My beesting was all better and I realized that LP has always had something new up their sleeve for every show. I have never left an LP show disappointed, and when they come back around, I'm gonna be down and front!

Edited April 9, 2009 by LPPhan2005