AltWire’s EU Correspondent Melissa Wilke with Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda
When over 12,000 people sing along to a mixture of rap, rock, and dance, it must be Linkin Park performing at a large arena somewhere in Europe. Their show in Oberhausen, Germany at the Koenig-Pilsener-Arena this past Sunday was no exception to the rule. Check out our video interview with Mike Shinoda at the bottom of this article.
“The Hunting Party Tour,” which is currently running through Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and England, has the band performing a set list of their biggest hits along with new songs from their latest album, “The Hunting Party.” While critics have been harsh with Linkin Park over the past few years, the reception by the crowd at their live shows tell another story. A story that the flawless, almost too polished, production with breathtaking visuals along with a sumptuous stage design electrifies the audience with every stop on tour.
Linkin Park have been around for over 14 years now and their tour is like a well-oiled machine. As perfect and as polished as their tour production is, the band is not just a “business engine.”
A shining example of this becomes apparent when their lead singer, Chester Bennington, stops the set to sing “Happy Birthday” with the crowd for his twin girls at home. It is classy moves such as these that make it apparent that after 18 years as a band and 14 years since their debut album, Linkin Park have managed to walk the fine line between professionalism and emotion; between brain and heart.
I was lucky enough to get a chance to sit down with Linkin Park’s Emcee, Mike Shinoda, for an interview before the Oberhausen show. During the interview, he not only gave us an insight into the band’s current projects such as the upcoming winter tour with Rise Against and Of Mice & Men, but he also talks about creating a home away from home in Berlin. He also touches on touring in Germany during the anniversary of the fall of the Wall along with letting fans vote for their setlist and how to handle the band’s relationship with the fans.
