I was so excited to enjoy my very first LP show, in Frankfurt. And I’m happy for all those thousand of fans worldwide, LP satisfied so far. But to say it right away: I’m disappointed. As a LP fan it’s hard to say that and it f hurts*.
It’s not about LP themselve. I suppose they gave their best. I intentionally say „suppose“, because I wasn’t able to see anything plus I hardly heard anything. But let me explain in detail:
Crowded:
I arrived at the venue about half an hour before the support band starts. At this time the hall was already crowded. I had no choice but to stand on the outer right site of he hall (near the entrance under the balconies). It was that far on the side, that we couldn’t even see the big stage monitors, just a little part of it. I really think, the show was overbooked. The venue was sold out since weeks and suddenly, a few days before the show starts, there were pit tickets available without a problem.
I don’t know if LP management is responsible for the decision of how many tickets are sold in each venue and how crowded every show becomes. I think they should care about it. But what I definitely know is, that the audience was to big for that size of concert hall.
The fact that I could hardly see anything what happened on stage was my first underwhelming impression that night. But of course I was still happy to see the band.
Sound:
Even worse: The sound was way to quiet and sounded so muffled. It feels like LP plays in an adjoining room. I had to prick up my ears to hear Chesters voice! Can you imagine that “bad surprise”?
I think the sound was good in the middle of the pit, I don’t know. But that is not enough. It’s the job of the FOH manager (Hi Pooch) to take care, that the sound is more or less acceptable for the whole audience and not only in the middle oft the concert hall. If you put so many people in a venue, so that they have to stand far on the sides, you have to adjust some speakers to the sides. But there were non. At least I didn’t see them and I didn’t hear them. If it’s impossible to guarantee this, because oft he structural conditions or whatever, than LP (and any band at all) really should avoid to play at those places. I saw a lot of bands playing live so far, and it hurts to say, that the Linkin Park show had one of the worst sounds I’ve ever experienced. At least from my position.
Stage show:
The stage was pretty low, so most of the time I couldn’t see any of the band members. Except Brad or Phoenix, standing on a box. Therefore I wanted to watch the stage monitors (at least the small part that was visible for me) to Chester and Mike singing. But most of the time, the monitors didn’t showed the band but some visuell effects. WTF? We want to see the band. The person who is responsible for that monitors should put his butt into the audience from time to time. If you’re standing there, you are not able to see the band members, except you are a giraffe, and you would be happy if you have a monitore as a compensation.
Conclusion:
When I bought the Tickets for LP (which cost around 70 Euros each, what were the highest prices I’ve ever paid for any band) I expected, that the audience is adjusted to the size of the concert hall, so that everybody has the chance to view the stage. And I expected, that the sound for everybody is good or at least acceptable. But sadly I was wrong.
If I could wish - it still hurts to say - I would not have visited the show. So that I could keep my imagination, that LP shows are perfectly managed and satisfy the whole audience.
Phew! It will take some time to digest my own disappointment. Writing down my frustration helps a little bit.
