A few years back, Summerfest had a stage, where the Uline Warehouse is now, devoted largely to hard rock and alternative metal. It's a genre that does well in the state (exhibit A: the popular Rockfest in Cadott; exhibit B: the kinds of shows the Rave books practically every single week), but for some reason, its place at the World's Largest Music Festival has gotten smaller.
But on Tuesday, those ostracized fans had the Big Gig's biggest stage to themselves, with Linkin Park's headlining set at the Marcus Amphitheater.
Sure, some might complain the radio-friendly Linkin Park, with its melodic touches and elements of electronica and hip-hop, may be too soft. But the truth is no Summerfest act this year — and practically any year — is as aggressive live.
With opening track "Papercut," Linkin Park was out for blood, guitars clashing against Joe Hahn's turntable scratches, and vocalist Chester Bennington running all over the stage as he belted out between neck-vein-bulging screams. Next came "Rebellion," the uprising anthem from last year's "The Hunting Party," and while Bennington favors melodic vocals over intense yelling on the track, the guitars and drums at times were as explosive as Molotov cocktails. By the show's third song, "Given Up," Bennington's face was dripping with sweat, despite the atypically cool temperatures in the amphitheater.
"Tell me, what the (expletive) is wrong with me?" he screamed at the end of the song. To the thousands watching, not one thing.
Print deadlines prevented a full review of Linkin Park's set.
