Carnivores Tour ft. Linkin Park, Thirty Seconds to Mars and AFI
September 15, 2014
Hollywood Bowl- Los Angeles, CA
On September 15, 2014, the year’s most anticipated rock tour known as the Carnivores Tour hit the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California. The tour consisted of 3 major rock bands that have all survived the test of time including AFI, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and the headliner, Linkin Park. If you were alive and listened to 106.7 KROQ back in the late 90’s, you know this was one concert that was not to be missed.
The evening started off early with the band AFI. The sun was barely setting as Davey Havok and Co. hit the stage to get the night started. For it being an early set time, there was a good amount of people already in the seats by the time the band had started playing. The set started off with the song The Leaving Song Pt. II and quickly had the AFI diehards standing on their feet and singing along. While they did have the shortest set time of the 3 bands playing during this tour, they wasted no time with their set list and getting straight to the hits. Each song they played was a classic hit after hit, and there was not a tune they played that anyone didn’t recognize; these guys truly has a golden discography. Songs of the night included I Hope You Suffer, Love Like Winter, 17 Crimes, Girls Not Grey, Medicate, The Days of the Phoenix, Silver and Cold, and Miss Murder.
The sun has finally set, the seats are filled to near capacity, and the Triad flags are up, and this can only mean one thing – Thirty Seconds to Mars was up next. Their cult-like gathering known as the Echelon had taken over the bowl with screams for Jared Leto and co. to hit the stage. Thirty Seconds to Mars was thirty minutes late for their set, and our hope at this point was that they didn’t cut into Linkin Park’s set time because of their tardiness. Eventually the band hit the stage and opened up with Up in the Air after a cliché entrance to O Fortuna. A few songs into their set and it seemed like everything was one song with the same song structure and the over kill of the “ohh-oh-ohhh” chant during their songs. The sound could have definitely been better with the amount of time they had in between sets and coming out late. Nothing against the band, hell, they’re obviously talented and gained a huge following, but for the most part it just all seemed like their songs were a variant of a song that was previously played during their set.
As mentioned before, Thirty Seconds to Mars came out late, and that cut time away from their set. Jared Leto announced after performing a short acoustic version of The Kill that they had only time for one more song because of the strict timing rules at the Hollywood Bowl. The band went out with a bang with having fans join them on stage for the song Closer to the Edge. Songs of the night included Search and Destroy, This is War, City of Angels, Do or Die, and more.
Let’s just take a quick break and say the following phrase: “Linkin Park is headlining the Hollywood Bowl in 2014.” Let’s give a round of applause to these guys for being one of two bands that have successfully survive the nu-metal era and perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Both Linkin Park and System of A Down are the only nu-metal era bands that have headlined the Hollywood Bowl, and for the first time ever, the members of both bands were on stage together. Daron Malakian (System of A Down, Scars on Broadway) and Linkin Park collaborated for the song Rebellion, a song that Malakian help produce and play guitar for Linkin
Park’s latest album, The Hunting Party. All we can say is that die-hard nu-metal fans in attendance lost their cool when Malakian came out on stage; truly a dream come true for many, including some of our staff that was in attendance. Mike Shinoda had earlier promised the Bowl that there would be surprises in store of us, and one of the other surprises was having Of Mice & Men’s Austin Carlile come out and rap with the band on the song Faint. Never would we image Carlile rapping, so that took us by surprise!
One of our favorite things about Linkin Park is their ability to push their music beyond their studio recordings, especially at live shows. Think of a highly skilled DJ playing LP’s discography without any mistakes, misplaced tempo transitions, and turning their music into one long mega-mix. Now, think of Linkin Park doing this live and flawless. The band has been able to genuinely innovate themselves throughout the years, even while being in a genre that is essentially dead. Go to their shows and expect to hear their hits, but also expect to hear them done in a way you’ve never heard before. Hearing them after so many years and seeing what they’re doing is truly an inspiration, both inside and outside the music industry. Also, major props to Chester Bennington; after all these years you’re still punishing your vocal cords with your sinister screams. Seriously, Bennington, we appreciate your commitment to making your fans happy.
Songs of the night include Guilty All the Same, Given up, Blackout, Castle of Glass, Burn it down, In the End, and many, many more. Linkin Park are set to hit Los Angeles, California again in October at the Wiltern, for a charity show, so if you’re in the area, make sure to get yourself in that venue and witness a more intimate Linkin Park experience.
Review by: Alex Lucero
Linkin Park
AFI
