New Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong rocks LA in kickoff

LOS ANGELES − After thrashing out the first three power songs in Linkin Park’s spanking new musical chapter Wednesday night, band co-founder, rapper and producer Mike Shinoda took time for some greetings and one important introduction before the sold-out and enthusiastically rowdy crowd at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.
“It’s truly so wonderful to see you again. I just want to say this is the first show of our tour,” said Shinoda, officially kicking off the From Zero World Tour, the first for the Grammy-winning nu metal band since the 2017 death of powerhouse singer Chester Bennington.
“Have you met our friend, Emily, yet?” Shinoda asked.
The raucous Forum crowd had definitely met Emily Armstrong, who was announced as Linkin Park’s new co-lead singer just six days earlier on Sept. 5, along with the six-date international tour (next stops in New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul and Bogota, Colombia) and the promised release of the band’s eighth album, “From Zero” (out Nov. 15).
Linkin Park setlist:All songs in the From Zero World Tour kickoff with Emily Armstrong
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Armstrong, the co-founder of alternative rock band Dead Sara, made an instant impact with her raging vocals, fearless stage presence and black booted-stage strut − from the fittingly titled first song, 2003’s “Somewhere I Belong,” to OG Linkin Park classics “Crawling” and “Lying from You.”
Still, Shinoda made it clear from his introduction that Bennington was on every audience member’s mind.
“You already know that you guys are singing for Chester tonight, right?” Shinoda said before starting a “Points of Authority” crowd sing-along.
There was controversy over the reformed Linkin Park, which includes DJ Joe Hahn, bassist Phoenix and new drummer Colin Brittain. The critical responses included a viral Instagram stories post Monday from Jamie Bennington, son of the late singer, stating Armstrong’s appointment “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy in real time.”
Linkin Park, and Armstrong, channeled any response to criticism into the tenacious, two-hour, 27-song show featuring the new vocalist owning every inch of the stage in the middle of the famed LA arena.
Revealing the band’s already-released new single, “The Emptiness Machine,” Armstrong held her microphone to the air to exhort the crowd to sing along with the new lyrics. In “Burn It Down,” Armstrong smiled as if she had been performing the 2012 song forever.
“How you feeling, Em?” Shinoda asked after Armstrong fell to her knees singing “Waiting for the End.” Her unprintable two-word response included “great.” Following a spirited rendition of “Friendly Fire,” Armstrong grinned and said puckishly, “That was fun.”
The singer swore a little enthusiastically after the crowd roared to Linkin Park’s new version of “Numb.”
“Emily, there are children,” Shinoda jokingly chided from the stage.
“I’m so sorry,” Armstrong responded, adding, “Not sorry.”
Shinoda did apologize to the crowd for the late Armstrong introduction; the singer has been discreetly working and recording with the band. “Sorry to keep this secret,” he said.
“It was hard,” added Armstrong of the time when her presence was kept under wraps. “That was the hardest thing.”
“But we are so (expletive) back,” Shinoda said.
Linkin Park’s explosively renewed sound revealed points that will need to be ironed out. Shinoda ran into a mic stand in one solo vocal spree during the medley “When They Come for Me/Remember The Name.” The performer took his own energy as a positive.
“That was my favorite part of the night,” Shinoda said, smiling.
Before the third and final encore song. “Bleed It Out,” Shinoda paid respect to the band’s new addition. “How about Emily?” he asked the crowd, prompting another undisputed roar of approval.
Shinoda took a quick crowd poll. To his delight, roughly half of the audience signaled through a “show of hands” that the concert had been their first Linkin Park concert experience.
“That’s incredible. That’s part of why we’re back out here,” Shinoda said. “It’s not about erasing the past. It’s about starting this new chapter into the future. We love playing for you guys and are very excited about our new record.”