San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Linkin Park, Prodigy bring the house down

Courtesy of linkinpark.com

San Diego State’s own Viejas Arena was transformed into a serious rock fest last Sunday night, as The Prodigy and Linkin Park shared a stage to a packed house of fans.

The passing of the 20th century in the music industry led to the introduction and eventual breakup of a number of bands with what is best known as a long list of one-hit wonders.  However, the survivors of the era managed to amplify their budding stardom and continue entertaining the masses. The Prodigy and Linkin Park are no exception.

The Prodigy’s exuberant stage presence and immeasurable amount of energy has been unparalleled by any other band of the same genre.

Keith Flint, who has been dawning the same hairstyle since the band’s emergence from the depths of Western London in the early 1990s, kicked off the show with “Breathe,” one of the band’s most famous songs. Flint’s vocals were fascinating and when paired with Maxim Reality’s beat boxing and a kaleidoscopic optical setup, it became impossible to avoid the mounting liveliness of the crowd.

After filling its set with the obvious crowd-pleasers such as “Smack My Bitch Up,” “Fire Starter” and “Omen,” The Prodigy climaxed with “Take Me To The Hospital,” ultimately leaving the audience thoroughly hyped for Linkin Park to take the stage.

Just a few short days before arriving in San Diego, Linkin Park’s frontman, Chester Bennington, was medically advised against performing and caused the cancellation and rescheduling of two shows in Texas. Many fans wondered in the days leading to the show what Bennington’s condition was going to be because updates had not been posted on the band’s official website. In spite of his recent health concern however, Bennington took the stage by storm alongside Mike Shinoda on Sunday night. Even more amazing was the amount of raw vivacity Bennington showcased throughout the entire set with vocals and overall stage presence.

One peculiar aspect of the show was the ratio of new material to old material Linkin Park performed. Much to the audience’s joyful surprise, Linkin Park’s set was predominantly filled with songs from its earlier albums, such as “Bleed It Out,” “New Divide” and “What I’ve Done,” ultimately only playing about six songs from its most recently released album, “A Thousand Suns.”

In its entirety, Linkin Park’s performance was dynamic and artfully crafted. It was sincerely evident that in spite of the circumstances, every member of the band gave 110 percent from start to finish. Even during its surprisingly long, five-song encore, Linkin Park’s vigor could easily be felt throughout the arena.

For more information about Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns World Tour 2011, visit linkinpark.com.

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Linkin Park, Prodigy bring the house down