Linkin Park delivers powerful concert, despite travel warning
Linkin Park delivers powerful concert, despite travel warning
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta
Teen rock idols Linkin Park hypnotized over 25,000 of their fans
in a stunning performance at Karnaval Beach in Ancol Dreamland
Park, North Jakarta, on Sunday, ignoring the updated warning
against travel to Indonesia issued by the United States
government.
Several performers from the United States canceled their
performances here following the travel warning. Among them were
hip hop artist Missy Elliot, rock group Limp Bizkit and British
heartthrob Gareth Gates.
Promoter Nephatya said that the main reason that Linkin Park
decided to perform in Indonesia -- they touched down in Jakarta
on Friday after performing in Portugal -- was the fact that
Indonesia stood as the largest market for the band in Asia.
Concertgoers, mostly teens, had been waiting under the
scorching sun since 1 p.m. although the concert itself only
kicked off at 4 p.m., an hour later than scheduled. The sextet
rock band electrified fans with their blend of searing guitar
work, turntable scratch and catchy songs.
Very often the concertgoers joined vocalist Chester Bennington
in singing the choruses of the 18 songs.
During Faint, one of their singles in the latest multiplatinum
album Meteora, the ground literally shook when the crowd was up
on its feet, jumping and dancing to the beat.
However, the enthusiasm made the crowd unmanageable, causing
dozens of young people standing close to the stage to faint after
being pushed against the security wall from behind.
Some others had collapsed earlier after waiting too long under
the blazing sun.
When members of the group wrapped up the evening with their
last song One Step Closer and walked off stage, concertgoers
stood in disbelief and shouted "More..more..." However, the band
remained out of sight.
The Los Angeles-based rock act consists of Bennington and Mike
Shinoda on vocals, Brad Delson on guitar, Rob Bourdon on drums,
Phoenix on bass and Joseph Hahn on sample programming.
Linkin Park stands out among hip metal genre performers such
as Korn, Staind and P.O.D. for their combination of hard rock
guitar sound, Bennington's New Wave crooning and Shinoda's
rhyming lyrics and hip hop beat.
The band has delivered Hybrid Theory, Re-animation and Meteora
in the past four years. The three albums received multiplatinum
awards in many countries, including Indonesia.
In 2002, Linkin Park received the Grammy Award in the best
rock performer category.