14.02.2001 Columbus, OH, Newport Music Hall

[felipeintheend]

Review:by Dave

 

LINKIN PARK - Live review 2/14/01

 

alien ant farm opened up this show. and i had heard their music before, so i wasnt expecting much. and for a while, i didnt get much. their songs had nothing more to offer than most any other band i can think of. they didnt have much of a melody, all their songs sounded the same. however, their last song made me a fan. im only a fan of this band when im hearing this song, and im going to see them live again JUST to hear this song again. at the end of their set. the singer asked "anybody out there like michael jackson?" i screamed hell yeah. i dont listen to his stuff much now anymore. but there isnt a person on earth that didnt jam to him when they were 10 as i did. most people boo'd but i was screaming for it. he then said "ok. well this ISNT a michael jackson song". and then went into a cover of the jackson song "smooth criminal" at least i think thats what its called. i was singing along and i tried to start a pit. however, noone cared. oh well. when taproot was about to come on everyone was going nuts. and all the ego-driven testosterone driven man pushed and shoved to the front. when one guy got up there. he told all 254 of his friends "hey, come up here with me" i hate people that do this. i kept saying to myself "taproot are pretty cool, but they arent THAT great" and i stand by my convictions, i bought their "gift" cd and i realy cant get into it. its ok and all but its just not what im realy into. however, as i stand by my convictions about their cd. i stand corrected about them live. i can honestly say, that out of the 130 plus bands that ive seen so far, that the signer for taproot (stephen) is the craziest and most daring front man that i have ever seen live (shxt, this guy even tops j.s. clayton from pitchshifter!!!) im sure you have all been to shows where the singer will stagedive in the crowd. well, stephen did that. im sure youve probably been to shows where the singer will let people sing into the mic as well. stephen did that too. youve probably even been to shows where the singer will jump in the pit and sing while moshing with their fans. again, stephen did this as well. but what other show have you ever been to, where they not only stage dived....but BALCONY DIVED as well. he climbed up onto the balcony for a song (i forget what song) walked around for a bit, stoped at an area to the right (if your facing the stage) and the music halted. he told everyone to get ready, they did, and he plumited all the way down. that was fxcking cool. they get MAD points in my book for that stunt. i will DEFINATLY see this band again. i may not listen to their cd much, but THAT made me a FAN!!! they may not have a whole lot going for them musicaly (i still dont think they have much to offer that 100 other bands dont do better) but they DAMN sure back it up live. GO SEE THIS BAND!!!!! Linkin Park. finaly. last time i went to see this band i was dicked over for my tickets, had to scalp one for 30$ outside the venue, and walked in a few minutes before linkin park walked OFF. needless to say i was pissed. however, this time i bought my tickets the DAY they went on sale and i was DAMN sure not missing them this time. they opened up with "with you" and played what, EVERY ONE of their songs on hybrid theroy? i cant recall any ONE that they DIDNT play. their set was an hour long and they even played "high voltage" and "and one" from their old hybrid theroy ep (as in, when their name WAS hybrid theroy) i have the ep and its great, i highly recomend anybody reading this review to BUY IT, that is, if you can sell your soul to satan to find a copy. that motherfacko is RARE AS FXCK!!! linkin were just as down with their fans as tarpoot was, they were giving props to crowdsurfers and one guy they even pulled up on stage to help sing. (i think the guy got thrown out of the venue though for not getting off the stage when the security guards told him to at the end of the song, and when he was ready to get off. he tried to stage dive. which is forbiden at the SHXTTY @$$ newport music hall in columbus, oh. (i hate this venue) one of the coolest things about linkin parks set, was that during one step closer, mike jumped down to let people sing with him, and when the song was over. HE DIDNT LEAVE. instead, the rest of the band came down and talked to everyone in the pit. AND STAYED THERE for a good hour or so. signing everything that everyone wanted them to sign. they didnt even leave to go change clothes or NOTHING!! fxck yeah!!! i asked joseph hahn (their turntableist) about why they didnt play "my december" his comment: "we tried to keep it upbeat, if we played that live, everyone would fall asleep" ah hah. thats funny. of course i told him otherwise. thus ends one of the best concerts ive ever been to (3 key factors made this one so great, a) the michael jackson cover, taproot singer diving from the balcony into the pit, and c)i finaly got to see a full linkin park set this time. WOO HOO!!!!!

 

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20010721221521/...eviewemily.html