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Won’t lie to you, this year’s been a steaming pile of shit.
The ins and outs, the what’s and why’s I’ll come to another time, but I thought I’d try and do something positive and look back on my moment of the year. Frankly, it was pretty simple: September 5th 2024, and a livestream that took place in Burbank, California, United States.
I’ve already written about Emily Armstrong, and how I view her integration to Linkin Park. I stand by everything in that review, and having seen more and more sets via the wonder that is YouTube, I’ve gotten more insight not only into her voice, but how the band seem to be moving forward. Everything seems to be looking good, and my only gripe is just how expensive it is to see them play in 2025. In the UK, tickets through official resellers is £200+, and even European shows seem to be the same price. I’m not in the mood to pull out my access card and get a disabled +1 ticket for the hell of it, as there are people who have more needs than I who deserve one of those tickets more than me. I may be eager, but I’m not a greedy arsehole.
The first livestream in California though, sent so many messages and emotions all in one go. I’ve watched the stream, then the interview with Zane Lowe that came out the day after countless times, yet I still remember watching the stream for the first time. First of all, I wasn’t that interested until I turned it on, as I’ve seen enough bands change musicians which only turns out for the worst, and the mood I was in at the time, I didn’t think it would do much for me.
Watching a Stream, in Hospital, is Hard
See, I was in Bushey Fields Hospital at the time, my second admission in 6 months to an acute mental health ward. My doctors were useless, my medication as mixed up as over-kneaded bread, and I was in a crap mood. Also, even though I had my laptop with me, this was more for writing emergencies than anything else; you don’t walk around with a laptop in an acute mental health ward, unless you want to test it’s effectiveness at being thrown against the wall.
Therefore, it was a case of watching the livestream on my phone. Only, I didn’t do that, I listened to ‘The Emptiness Machine’ on my phone first. Then listened to it again, and again, and again. If there’s ever been a track which quite literally screamed ‘fuck the haters, this is how we roll’, this was it. From Apple Music, it was over to YouTube, when of course I was presented with this.
Let’s move Emily Armstrong to one side for a moment. Throughout the set, you could just see the joy in Mike Shinoda’s eyes. Until the day I die I will say that Mike is one of music’s most underrated singers, and you got, in my eyes, a performance he, the band and everyone else in the making of the show should be proud of. From showing an upbeat personality, to introducing Emily like it’s her debutant ball, to that harmony in Papercut. Holy shit. Top notch.
‘’I love you Dave!’ We all love Pheonix. He’s an amazing musician, and that little look he gave when Emily lost it mid set, shows how he works as a bandmate. Colin’s drums brought a new energy, and I don’t think anyone will ever give Joe the credit he deserves for everything he does in terms of production, videos, artwork, and being ‘that DJ guy’.
It Wasn’t Just The Set Though.
The true moment of the year was slightly post-facto, and happened in the days after the set, popping up on YouTube, social media and the like. I was already an emotional wreck, so my response would always have been over-amplified, but seeing the LP community, who I’ve long been estranged from because of an incident in 2007 act the way I did, and showed emotion the way I did? It reminded me what it was like to be an Linkin Park fan 15 years prior.
There were 6 members of a band on stage, plus lighting, sound, video people and the like. The people who took that moment and made it magical, the people in the crowd, watching online, and having that experience where afterward, you could breathe, cry, and smile. There are too many to post, but I’ll add some below once I re-find them.
To the LP Community, underground or otherwise, thanks. Thanks for reminding me that music is to be shared, loved, and experienced; be it in a crowd, a livestream, a laptop, or a phone with headphones. To Linkin Park, not like it needs to be said, but go fucking get the world in 2025!
Peace & Love xx
Last Updated on 24th December 2024 by Wil Vincent
