“The Official Review”: LPU @ HOB 5/18/12

By Dayna Brisco

Last night marked the opening show for the first leg of Linkin Park’s upcoming tour cycle. The event took place at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, CA on Friday May 18, 2012. Less than 2,000 lucky LPU members, friends, and fans of the band attended the exclusive performance. A small group of dedicated fans (including myself) showed up fairly early at the venue. Our goals set on getting a close spot on the floor, and a chance to finally meet our estranged LPU family members for the first time in the flesh.

As the day progressed, our small group grew bigger and bigger. Before doors opened for VIP members, Mike and Chester came out to the outdoor side stage with KROQ radio’s Ted Stryker, and revealed the brand new, super-grande-awesome Linkin Park customized Honda Civic car, which will be raffled off to a lucky winner at the close of the Honda Civic Tour. Around 7:30pm the General Admission ticket holders were one-by-one let into the building. We passed the time by sharing snacks and stories, and matching profile pictures with names and faces; all the while secretly planning to unleash “Operation Balloonia” as a fun surprise for the evening. The idea had crossed my mind about a week or two before the show, and I figured I might as well give this secret flash mob thing a shot. Thankfully the idea caught on board, and Op. Balloonia was, in my opinion, success, aside from the angry HOB security guards who ended up tossing all of our balloons under the stage. But somebody had to do it, and I’m glad I did.

The concert itself was really one of the best I’ve ever seen. Linkin Park did an amazing job providing us with an expert mix of old and new songs, as well as a few new arrangements to some of the classic singles we all love. The highlights of the night for me included the following: With You, Somewhere I Belong, Blackout, LOATR/SOTD/Iridescent mash up, and of course, Bleed It Out, featuring an outstanding Sabotage tribute to the Beastie Boys. The teasers of new material, which integrated TINFOIL and UNTIL IT BREAKS into the set, were fantastic as well. Hearing it live definitely renewed my anticipation for the release of the new album due on June 26th. And like any other Linkin Park soldier’s dream, I luckily ended up with a few souvenirs to add to my memento shelf. Phoenix kindly placed one of his bass picks in the palm of my hand, Rob handed out his signature drumsticks to a select few in the front row, and Mike’s guitar pick conveniently landed in my hair. Definitely well worth the seven hour wait.

Linkin Park has ruined me (for the better). I’m not even mad that I missed the season 7 finale of Supernatural… And this was just their first show of the year! I ended up sunburned in the face, bruised in the knees, and musically kicked in the ass last night. But this is our summer of Linkin Park and there’s nowhere else I would have rather been. This is not the end, this is just the beginning. #LPSummer2012!

Two final things that I’d like to point out.
I’d like to give a very, very big and special thank you to “Team Free Will” for all of their contributions, and support.
Susy Cisneros, Kevin Selder, Natasha Lopez de Arenosa, Genessa Ramirez, Jermaine Cervantes, Jackie Yamanaka, Ismael Gonzales, Irene and Jason Krygowski, Anahi Rivera, Johanna Velazquez, Audrey Johnson, Brandon Tepezano, Alicia Sanchez, Rob Sanchez, Janet Ramos, Melissa StJohn.

They are some amazing LP soldiers, and I’m so glad I had the chance to meet you all. Can’t wait to party again!

Lastly, I’m in the running to win free tickets for life, as well as other exclusive prizes for Linkin Park’s Share2Earn Contest. I’m currently ranked #9 on the leader board. So I am shamelessly going to plug my own campaign and suggest that anyone who would, please help me out. Please share my link: http://www.getonic.com/shop/12997/6270 and/or pre-order the new Linkin Park album LIVING THINGS if you haven’t done so already. Winning #1 would be more than a dream, but as of now, I’m just trying to stay in the top 10. If you pre-order the album from me, let me know, send me a screen-shot of your order confirmation, and I’ll try and send you something special. 🙂
-Dayna Brisco

Adie: Big Thanks to Dayna for this great review and the amazing pictures! You can see more of them in the gallery below. All pictures in courtesy of Dayna, so credit her or I’ll cut off your fingers…slowly! Pay her back by using her Share to Earn link when you preorder LIVING THINGS.
You’re getting another review from the show by Irene, so stay tuned. If you also want to write a review and publish it here, check out this post. Dayna also asked me to add a little personal text she wrote for the fans she met at the HOB show:

[Disclaimer]: The following post contains mature language, sarcasm, and shenanigans.

It’s 11:00. Why the fuck are we here so early again? Never in my life have I arrived at a show so early for GA access. Even for Linkin Park this is ridiculous. 5am my ass. “Team Free Will” this is all your fault.

I’m burning in this black shirt. I just got over a cold too… The raspberry Emergen-C is wearing off. This won’t look good in the morning…

It’s barely 2pm. Jac, we’re running out of Gatorade, the PopTarts are melting, and the cheese from the goldfish is staining my fingers. Battery life is at 62%. But surprise, surprise! Chi-town’s finest; Jay & Irene have come to visit…!

5pm? Time to unveil the plan they say. It’ll be fun they say. Of course it will. We’ve been planning this for a week. It’s now or never. The line is wrapped around the place now. Janet made it. Hey Lauren. Thanks Ismael.

Back in line. Check out Herp & Derp over there helping the poor girl with her flat. Bona-fide LPU social charity in action, and a little free entertainment before the fun starts.

It’s 7:30 already. I’m officially going to catch my death out here; it’s freezing…

Are we moving? Jermaine says we’re moving! Slowly, but surely. I’M IN. My guests are in. Check, check. Time to bum-rush the barricade with all of my new friends. We’re on the rails! Maybe this was worth the 7hours after all…

They showed me the set list. These people have no idea. This shit’s about to go down. I’m so close I can see the fucking finger freckles on Phoenix’s hands.

TINFOIL. With You. Somewhere I Belong. Blackout. Mega ballad mash-up. BURN IT DOWN. Sabotage. They’re melting faces one song at a time. And this is without the official arena stage set-up. No smoke, no lasers, no fire. Just a few hundred balloons for decoration, courtesy of “Team Free Will”.

A little bit of eye contact, and I’ve got myself a few picks and a banged up drumstick… and a face full of Shinoda stomach. I’m still waiting for the day I’ll get my proper handshake…

Congrats to the VIP and the more ‘mature’ soldiers for hanging in there with the rowdy kids. Chester appreciates you too.

Now let the post-concert depression begin. Until we meet again.

– -Dayna