Linkin Park’s debut tour of India kicks off with a performance in Bengaluru

Few bands captured the emotions and imagination of the Indian millennial generation like Linkin Park. To those who grew up with posters of the band on their walls, January 23 was a dream come true. Thousands of Indians came to age with the music of American rock band, whose songs spoke to the angst of adolescent life. In an enthralling concert, fans gathered in Bengaluru for what was the band’s maiden gig in the country as part of the From Zero World Tour.

While a lot of the songs were from the new album, they dished out a few of the classics. Vocalist Emily Armstrong was a powerhouse.

Linkin Park was set to make their India debut at Lollapalooza in Mumbai. But in a surprise to fans last November, BookMyShow announced an additional gig in Bengaluru. The concert was hosted at Brigade Innovation Gardens at Muddenahalli and saw a crowd of 35,000 fans, according to police. The venue was spacious, but the traffic jam and parking situation outside caused chaos for fans. The lighting and production of the concert were top notch, with plenty of food and drink options on ground.

The opening act was Indian metal band Bloodywood. At 8 PM, Linkin Park took the stage for a two-hour set. After the death of lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017, the band took a hiatus and regrouped later with a new vocalist Emily Armstrong. The new line up was controversial, but fans have warmed up to the music.

Who are Linkin Park?

The band began in late 1990s in California. The original line-up included vocalists Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn, Rob Bourdon, and Dave Farrell. Their albums, HybridTheory and Meteora were genre defining for nu metal, a subgenre of alternative metal.

The current line-up of Linkin Park, featuring the new vocalist Emily Armstrong
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

In 2017, fans were in for a shock as lead singer Bennington died by suicide. Tributes poured from across the world, not only because their music had supported fans in their own mental health struggles over the years.

In September 2024, the band regrouped with new vocalist Emily Armstrong. The decision was a divisive one at first, but Emily has quickly won over fans with her prowess.

Chester Bennington, the original vocalist, who died by suicide in 2017
| Photo Credit:
AFP

In the end

The band performed a two-hour set. Starting with a fan favourtie song, Somewhere I Belong. The set list had many new songs from their latest album, From Zero, and tracks like One Step Closer and The Emptiness Machine. Shinoda interacted with the fans and gifted his cap to one of them. Armstrong donned an Indian cricket team jersey.

The highlight of the evening was the performances of Numb and In the End, their most popular tracks. One of the last tracks of the evening was Heavy is the Crown a song where Armstrong’s vocals carry the lyrics. The crowd came together and sang their hearts out to the fan favourite numbers.

The debut gig in Bengaluru harked back to the days when we were the rock capital of the country. Next the band heads to Mumbai to perform at Lollapalooza India 2026.