NOT SO SILENT NIGHT
THE COMPAQ CENTER
SAN JOSE, CA.
12/7/2001
LINKIN PARK
SOLD OUT!!!!
This show sold out completely in two days. The main reason being the headlining act Linkin Park, a local California band from the Los Angeles area. This band has been making the rounds via the internet with a devoted fan base for the last few years. The band was known during this time as "Hybrid Theory" and they distributed their songs for free on the World Wide Web. They just wanted to get their music out to the people anyway they could. This was their way of remaining in control of their own musical evolution and setting the theme for an open line of communication with their fans. This tradition has continued even as they embrace the mass popularity that comes with the right management and big record company promotion. This band has done a "meet the fans" autograph table at every show they played this year. I do believe the only exception being Linkin Park's awesome trend breaking performance at this year's Grammies. I think the key to this band's success has been primarily due to the effectiveness of their tour and booking management, not to mention the harmonically chaotic plethora of sounds they deliver to expectant ears.Their debut album "Hybrid Theory" closed out 2001 with the most album sales of the year (4.8 million copies sold), and the album has now hit seven times platinum in album sales according to the RIAA. With over one hundred performances world wide in 2001, and an ever-growing fan base there is no doubt why Linkin Park is being honored with highest praises as Rocktime Magazine's 2001 Band of the Year. This band seemed to come from no where and traveled on the lips of teenagers to become an instant phenomena. The constant radio play of their hits "Crawling" and "In the End" was paramount to their omnipresent musical force becoming something to reckon with. This band is loud and proud and they make great music. I think the nation, and the world, feels the same as their popularity seems to grow with every performance breeding a legion of avid new fans.
I'll never forget the first time I saw Linkin Park, it was a beautiful sunny day in the Sierras at Sierra Ski Resort. The mountain was packed and the gates were closed to incoming traffic by eleven o'clock in the morning. Love, nor money could get you on the mountain because Linkin Park was there and the show was sold out way before noon. The event was Boarding For Breast Cancer, an annual fundraiser held at the resort to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness. You could buy a ticket to the show only or with a lift ticket included. I hit the mountain most of the morning and was was riding right up to the stage and doing my photo shoots between runs down the mountain. One word, exhilarating!! Music on the mountain and spring skiing rolled into a real hooter of a day. Later in the day, towards the time Linkin was going to take the stage the crowd became too enormous to ski ,or board right up to the front. So, I kicked off the gear and put on some shoes and shorts. I stood ready to photograph this new band that people were so psyched about. They were hella cool, just hanging out around the bus and talking to anybody that wanted to talk. People were staggered all the way up the mountain by now and it was time. Linkin Park came on and proceeded to rock my world, very exciting, see the photos.
Next thing ya know, it's summer and Linkin Park is making the most noise at the Ozzfest 2001, Rocktime Magazine gets the shots. They played over thirty dates on the Ozzfest rocking the main stage crowd and were starting to pick up some momentum. Then they're jetting off to Europe for a slew of dates abroad. Linkin Park begins to amass some major debut album sales and a cult following of varying ages. Following the Europe dates they return to the U.S. to headline the Not So Silent Night Tour.
By far the best Linkin Park performance in northern California this year. The venue was packed to the gills and Linkin Park was the headliner. The acoustics of the Compaq Center and the sound quality of the system were so perfect for Linkin's melodies that even the echo of the hall in the noise bleed section still sounded like you were right up front. The show began at six o'clock and had more bands and more screaming teenagers than you could shake a stick at. Linkin came on stage at around 9:00 p.m. and the crowd went into a frenzied overdrive. People were coming over the rail in droves, the Bill Graham Presents staff wouldn't let any of the photographers into the middle of the pit for fear they would be conked on the head by out of control crowd surfers.
The band was taking over the music scene and they knew it. The vocal confidence of Chester and Mike was clearly visible and these guys were walking tall at the top of their game. The energy the band released on the crowd was being reciprocated tenfold. Surging movements of people could be seen on the floor, the motion and the music would bring the crowd together and then split them apart as the three or four recurring and tornadoeing mosh pits would open up in Linkin Park energy bursts. What more can I say? Keep your eyes on these guys, 'cause they have the talent. Can they keep up with the extreme pace of rock and roll? Find out here at Rocktime Magazine. Thanks for reading and we'll see ya at the shows.
NICK RUNNING
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SYSTEM OF A DOWN
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P.O.D.
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