American nu-metal band Linkin Park made their highly-anticipated India debut at Brigade Innovation Gardens in Bengaluru on Friday, delivering a thunderous performance that fans awaited for years to experience.
Linkin Park reunited in 2024 with Emily Armstrong as their new lead vocalist after frontman Chester Bennington’s death by suicide in 2017. The band is currently on their ‘From Zero’ World Tour, with another performance in India slated to take place at Lollapalooza 2026 on January 25.
Now consisting Armstrong, Mike Shinoda, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, Joe Hahn and Colin Brittain, the band commanded the stage with a powerhouse set from the From Zero World Tour, turning the city into the epicentre of global rock for the evening.
The evening opened with a commanding set by homegrown metal powerhouse Bloodywood, whose fusion of heavy metal and Indian folk elements immediately ignited the crowd. Powering through tracks like Bekauf, Danadan and Halla Bol, the band made its raw intensity palpable.
Bloodywood’s performance drew a tremendous response from the audience, setting the stage for Linkin Park’s arrival.
From the moment Linkin Park stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere in Bengaluru shifted with palpable anticipation. The band quickly asserted their presence, transforming the venue into a hotspot of shared emotions and nostalgia.
Their sound — sharp, controlled and powerful — carried the authority of a group that defined the nu-metal genre with their unique infusion of heavy metal, hip-hop and electronic elements. Every transition felt fluid, every crescendo met with a resounding response, as the city surrendered itself to the experience.
Armstrong’s vocals prompted fans to sing in unison with fists raised and voices rising above the music, bound by the songs that have transcended generations.
The setlist bridged past and present, with new songs from From Zero and the anthems featuring Bennington that define Linkin Park’s legacy. New tracks such as The Emptiness Machine and Heavy Is the Crown sat seamlessly alongside iconic favourites like In The End and Numb.
Prior to the band’s comeback tour, lead guitarist Brad Delson announced that he won’t be a part of the concerts. Alex Feder, known as the singer-songwriter and guitarist for the American indie rock band The XYZ Affair, is filling in for Delson on the tour.
Bengaluru erupted with energy as Mike Shinoda exclaimed, “We’ve waited so long to come to India, Lollapalooza India now has a lot to live up to because Bengaluru, you raised the bar to new heights.”
With the city still humming from the night’s energy, the band now sets its sight on Mumbai, where they will headline Lollapalooza India 2026, taking their first-ever India visit to an even bigger stage.