July 6, 2017 - Birmingham, UK | One More Light World Tour

Aww I wish I had gone to another show.. Hopefully they'll come back soon

 

Me too, eagerly waiting for them to return to Portugal. I could even go to Spain or Italy if they went there as well, just go to the show and be back on the plane.
I need to watch the full shows on Youtube, but I lose a lot of time on Spotify everyday

 

Seeing them tonight for the 1st time! Can't wait.

 

Have fun My first LP show in Prague, May 19th was memorable and a day to remember, but I hope much more will come.

 

Well I'm at work until 1:30pm and then I'm rushing back home, getting everything sorted and then driving up with my sister to the show, so I should get to Birmingham by 4pm to check-in at the VIP area. I'm so buzzing! My 3rd time seeing them live and I haven't seen them since 2010! However, my night will be complete as I finally get to meet them! It's going to be awesome!

Can't wait and I'll give my feedback/review when I return or tomorrow after I recuperate (don't get back until 12:30-1am).

 

Seeing them tonight too

 

Oh, I will do!

Just waiting on the confirmation e-mail on what time the Meet and Greet will be and where, so hyped!

 

Brum 2010 was my first LP show. Waited out from 1PM, was right in the centre of the barrier. Managed to get two hi fives off Mike and Chester grabbed and held my arm for like 5 seconds. I also got two guitar picks and caught a drum stick. I'll never forget the 5 people playing tug of war with Mike's towel after the show.

I'll be there tonight with my girlfriend. I was originally going by myself and then the both of us going Manchester tomorrow, but unfortunately due to what happened and as I'm sure you're all aware, it's now cancelled.

 

You were in the meet and greet and from Hereford??? What??? Me too!!!

Also I am so hyped right now, I asked both Chester and Mike to dedicate OML to Manchester and they did! Mike wasn't so sure as he said there were issues around it but said he would think about but Chester gave a straight yes and they did it! And it was so beautiful the words he said, love that guy!

 

That speech was beautiful. I teared up. What an incredible night.

 

You didn't happen to be talking to a boy and two girls were you at the front by the double doors (Meet & Greet pick-up spot) waiting for Lorenzo to come and collect us for the 7:10pm Meet and Greet? If that was you, I was right next to you with my sister at the vending machine near the double doors. I was wearing my One More Light t-shirt, black jeans and checkered hooded top and I was holding my OML grey deluxe artbook. I was talking to a man who travelled from Cardiff, he was quite tall. If that was you, it's a shame we never got a chance to speak!

So anyway, I arrived back to Hereford at 12:50am, me and my sister drove back and we had a blast and reminisced on it on our drive back (even discussing the beautiful tribute by Chester... good job on that Smarky). It was an incredible night from 7:10pm up until the show finishing at around 10:40pm, it was truly epic! I loved every single moment of it! I didn't get chance to speak to Lorenzo but I did say hi to him and it was cool to finally meet him in person after I've had one or two messages with him over Twitter. However, the biggest moment of the night was meeting the band! It was a surreal moment, my first time ever meeting my heroes, people I've admired and looked up to and adored for 15 years! It feels like it has come full circle when you finally meet them.

I got all 6 members to sign my One More Light deluxe artbook, next to their pictures in the book. However, with me having a polaroid of Joe Hahn as part of my bundle, I asked him to sign the polaroid. There was a funny moment when the person next to me called Phil asked to shake his hand, Joe said "you're weird" and in response to that Phil said "have you been eating something with tomato in it?" Joe licked his lips and said he had and said "you're the first person to tell me I had something around my mouth". When Joe came to me I shook his hand and I said "I was the lucky one that got a photo of you" and he looked at the photo and said "oh cool!" and said "right here?" pointing where to sign at the bottom of the polaroid and I said yes. He said thank you and carried on down the line.

Mike was out next and he stayed talking to other people for quite a while, as this was going on Brad came around and went around quite quickly followed by Phoenix who also didn't stay too long (nothing against them as it wasn't long until show time!) There was this awesomely awkward moment though between me and Brad. Phil asked to shake Brad's hand and Brad obliged and didn't really say much and when Brad came to me I stuck my hand out asking if I could have a handshake and he looked at my outstretched handshake offer for a good 5 seconds and then proceeded to bow his head in front of me for like 15-20 seconds. Phil next to me was laughing as was I as I didn't really know what Brad was doing or how to react and I then said "I guess I should be honoured by this?" and Brad signed my book and off he went. A pretty funny and unique moment. Brad bowed to me yet refused my handshake... I take that as a weird compliment!

Unfortunately, I didn't get chance to speak to Phoenix much as I was busy frantically trying to find the page with a photo of him on, when I eventually found it he got to me, he signed my book and thanked me and moved on down the line. Chester then came out and we were pumped as was he! He seemed so energetic and really really friendly. Mike came over to our side and I shook his hand as he said hi and I said he was awesome and he thanked me, signed my stuff and said enjoy the show. As Chester was going around I saw some women ask him for a hug, I told Phil I'm going to ask him for a bro hug and Phil told me to go for it!

My opportunity arrived and Chester came over to me and I asked "do I get a hug?" and he said "of course!" and proceeded to give me a hug. As we hugged I said "you are a legend!". He thanked me, signed my book and then he put his hands together and bowed in front of me (I feel like a king... 2 Linkin Park members bowing to me! Joking!) and said it was nice meeting me. Smark, was that you at the end, the last one talking to Chester and giving him a hug also? I did overhear that said person ask Chester about the tribute. Only 2 men (myself included) hugged Chester, haha. Rob then came out late and they nearly forgot to bring him out, he quickly went around and thanked us and told us to enjoy the show, I shook his hand and then we were told to head back as the show was going to start in 20 minutes.

Overall, the show was amazing from start to end! Chester was so on point and his voice sounded perfect throughout the night, he sounded great on New Divide and hit the high notes fine and he sang beautifully on the softer tracks and his screams were brutal on the more up-tempo, heavier songs. He's really nailing the Faint bridge again, which is awesome to see especially when you're there live! One funny moment was a security guard was really busting the moves during Somewhere I Belong, the man had rhythm! The crowd were brilliant throughout, we were singing all the way through and there was some awesome moments. Chester's message before One More Light was heartfelt and powerful and really appreciated by myself and everyone there and how he put so much emotion into his vocals on that song. Loved his message to tell the person next to you that you love them, which I did with my sister but in a pretty cool moment, a random fan went up to another random fan and hugged them and said "I love you!" A great tribute to Manchester and its victims, I always love going to Manchester and it struck a chord with me with what happened and this tribute helped ease that pain.

My only wish was to have A Place For My Head in the setlist as that's my favourite song but still, I can claim to have heard it live in full back in 2003 and at least I got to hear my #2 track, Bleed It Out and the track that has recently entered in my top 10 favourite Linkin Park songs in Sharp Edges.

I also have to point out, Brad's guitar sounded different in Battle Symphony, it actually sounded really great live. Anyway, all of the band delivered and put on a 10/10 show, it was fun, it was energetic and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life topped off by meeting the band! It can't get any better than that! Oh, and I purchased a £120 jacket just because you know... fashion and stuff!

By the way, apologies to Kevin, I completely forgot to tell the band members I said hi from LPA, I was so awestruck and star-struck by meeting them I just said what I could... it was all new to me!

Anyway, what a night! Now... I'm off to bed.

 

I really like they're sticking with longer sets. Sad most bands have to trim down their sets when they come here to Asia.

 

Fantastic write up @Foreshadowed_LP! Mine will be very lacklustre in comparison.

I'll get this out the way, to me, this was not the best Linkin Park show I've been to. My girlfriend however thinks it was the best gig of her life. I'm not saying it was bad, far from it, just the previous 5 occasions I got more from. Perhaps this is because I'm not thrilled with One More Light, I think it's a rather forgettable album.

Now I've got that out of the way. The sound was amazing. The mix was perfect. In comparison to when I saw Iron Maiden there in May, it really put them to shame. Chester's voice may have been the best I've ever heard. Although he missed a few words on a song or two his performance was stellar, the screams and growls at a level I didn't think I'd hear from him again. You could tell this was the last show of the tour as the band and crew were having a good time. And his tribute to Manchester was very fitting. After reading Foreshadowed's post, I am surprised that said tribute needed to be requested - especially with the band due to play there the following night.

In the end (sorry not sorry) the band as a whole performed a very solid set with plenty of diversity across their discography to appease all. It really was a good show, just not one of my favourites.

 

Whoa you have started something @Foreshadowed_LP, I enjoyed reading that so I will do the same!

I was wearing a grey Heavy hoody and an LPU beanie, so hi to anyone that saw me/I spoke too.

So a little back story, on Sunday I did the last shift of my crappy minimal wage job which I have worked for the last 14 years to start a new real career, I wanted to do all shows on this tour when it was announced but sadly they announced the o2 arena date for Monday, when I already had tickets for Blink-182 with a good friend(who I used to work with) so I went there and then onto Brixton on Tuesday and then too this show yesterday and obviously in very sad circumstances tonight's show in Manchester was cancelled.

Blink were awesome, much better than expected, also the crowd were really friendly and I got to the front for both Blink and the Brixton gigs, for Birmingham I had meet and greet and so I already knew I would be further back.

I don't drive so travelled up by train and checked into a hotel, because I had meet and greet I didn't bother getting to the arena until around 5pm, when I arrived I was at entrance E, which was were it said to meet for the meet and greet, but while queuing security said it was for VIP only, I asked as I only had a front standing ticket but the meet and greet email said to meet at entrance E and security were insistant that I stay in the VIP line, I was concerned about this so I checked twice.

I spoke to a few people in the queue and honestly felt sorry for them, having paid extra for the ticket and not getting much for it but I had meet and greet... lol when they started letting us in, they scanned my ticket and I explained and then they told I was at the wrong entrance and tried to send me back, but a supervisor shouted over "have you already scanned his ticket?" And once she said yes, he said they had to let me in, phew! Lucky he did or else I would have had issues getting in the other door!

It seems like we were meant to go through the normal standing entrance then walk to entrance E once inside for the meet and greet but security didn't understand what the LPU meet and greet was.

Once inside they kept trying to give me the free VIP stuff even though I kept telling them I didn't have a VIP ticket, ended up with a free scarf lol

Chatted to a few people that I queued with about what happened, found the meet and greet meeting point sign and then went and had some food as it wasn't until 7:10pm, started talking to a lady that was also in the meet and greet and we got confused cause it appeared the queue for meet and greet was huge but it was actually just the rear standing queue and we just got mixed up!

Lorenzo came and gave us our passes and we were lead outside, were the meet and greet took place, Lorenzo gave us free bottled water and "chips" (Walkers crisps) which was nice of them. We waited awhile for Joe to come out, all the band came out separately, I took my record store day road to revolution vinyl to be signed as it was a show I was at and have it on my wall, Joe made some kinda bad joke "I hear you have some great hams here", everyone was like wha? "Burning hams?" I said to Joe it was a terrible joke and he said "Then why are you laughing"

There was then a long wait for another member to come out, we were talking amongst ourselves and then Phoenix came out and signed some stuff and then Mike....

When Mike came up to me, I told him I had a request, he looked a little neriovus and I said "Don't worry it's not no roads left" he laughed and I then asked if they would dedicate OML to the people that lost there lives in Manchester because that was supposed to be the last night of the tour and me and some guys from LP live had already planned, a tribute but obviously the show got cancelled, he said he would like to but there were a lot of issues around it that they had to be sensitive about, he said when they had to announce that the Manchester show was cancelled Chester had written a big statement about it urging people to come together and go to the other shows, which ultimately didn't go out as he said they had to be mindful of the venues and not appearing to favour one over the other, he was very thoughtful with his response and visually upset, he even turned to me and kept talking about it while signing the stuff for the guy next to me, said he would think about it and that they had tried so hard to reschedule the show but there were so many bands trying to book all the other venues that they couldn't make it happen.

Explains why the statement was so generic that they released and also why I took them so long to announce when other shows after the LP date cancelled first.

At some point between this Brad dashed out and signed stuff, I didn't even notice he had signed my vinyl before he moved last, the meet and greet was running pretty late.

Then Chester came out and I made the same request, he immediately said "Of course" and went on to ducuss at length how horrible the events were, he said he had been thinking about doing something anyway but wasn't sure how to do it, he then came back up to me after signing some more stuff to say he put in his ear rings the day that it happened and he wasn't going to take them out, he showed me them, there were black and had orange bees on them, he later repeated this story on stage.

The LPU camera guy, I think his name was travis then came up and fist bumped me, I guess he heard the conversation as he was taking photos of me talking to Chester.

The lady running the meet and greet with Lorenzo them came out and asked if we were ready to go to the show, completely forgetting about Rob which we shouted to her haha and then he came about ten minutes later.

I remarked to Rob how he had been forgotten and as revenge and to show that he was really the ,out important memeber of the band that he should do his signature bigger than everyone else's as there was still a big space on the bottom, he smiled and said "I like how you think"

Lorenzo then took us into the arena ready for the show, what was nice is he took everyone to front standing even though someone had a rear standing ticket, "Don't worry about that, you are LPU!"

After looking for a spot I bumped into a girl from the meet and greet, she was awesome, she flew in from Brazil to come to all the UK shows and is in Manchester now because she a,ready had it booked, her friends were at the front so we hung out and watched the show together and then hugged during OML while I was nervous to see if the tribute would happen as the music started "He is going to do it?....... yes!" I was so hyped and what he said was beyond words, truly love that band, so heartfelt and I could feel that fro, talking to both Mike and Chester about it.

I didn't really manage to get any pictures of Birmingham as the lights didn't play well with being further back and I had already managed to get some awesome ones at Brixton I decided to just enjoy the show, you can see my signed vinyl and Brixton pics on my insta: https://www.instagram.com/chaosliveswithineverything/

 

Judging from videos of recent concerts, Chester's voice has been doing the best for a long time it seems, great to hear. Also it seems he left out the crowd singing parts on In the end and Somewhere I belong, cool to hear chester sing those parts live again.

 

Oh man, you guys make me jealous.
I'm yet to get the opportunity to see them live let alone meet them.

Fuck, I'm so happy for you. I was smiling while reading your post because that's exactly I imagine them to be.