During a recent tour stop in Oberhausen, Germany; AltWire's Melissa Wilke was lucky enough to sit down with Mike Shinoda for an interview before the band's show in Oberhausen. During the interview, he not only gave fans an insight into the band’s current projects, but he also talked about creating a home away from home in Berlin. Other topics that were discussed were the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, along with letting fans vote for their setlist and how to handle the band’s relationship with the fans (charging for M&Gs etc). This is definitely one of the more interesting interviews Mike has given lately, and is something you most certainly don't want to miss. For the full interview, and video check out the article on AltWire here.
End the #VISCERAL cycle and BRING ON LP7, BITCHES!!!!!!!! On a side note, that interview made me a bit upset, mainly because of Mike saying the setlists would primarily remain the same. Does he think that just because they are playing a different part of a state that a large majority of people going to the shows will be brand new fans? Also, I'm sure with their recent talks about interests in playing KTTK and ALITS, as well as looking back when they mentioned interests in playing Powerless and Chester saying they actually would add I'll Be Gone to the setlists, no one should really take Mike seriously about new music being incorporated into the sets. Correct me if I'm wrong to believe that it doesn't seem to difficult to rehearse a few more songs to add to the set. This could have been done before the Carnivores Tour even began. If they could pull it off with Hybrid Theory through A Thousand Suns, I'm sure LT or THP can as well (especially since one was made to make shows more energetic and the other was tailored for a more raw sound and live environment).
Not changing up the setlists on the 4th tour they do for the album is really unlike them, and I don't really like that. Adding another song is awesome, but come on... some variation please! Even less to talk about in the tour posts "Yesterday the band played the same set they've been playing for 5 months... again" But that's just me.
Lazy Mike and lazy LP will always have an excuse to keep playing the same stuff all the time. Pathetic. Other than that, great interview and good questions
Call me envious or whatever but this kind of rubs me the wrong way. I know it's a bit boring to *read* they played the same set throughout a tour but man.. What I would give to see for the very FIRST TIME after 14 YEARS a 'pathetic same setlist'. LP fans do take things for granted. Sigh.
If they go to Venezuela it'd make sense for them to play a set similar to the one they're playing now, with all the hits. However, in my opinion it doesn't make any sense to play it in places they've played a thousand times before. Even from a musician standpoint, I just find it hard to believe that they don't get bored playing the same songs forever. I had a band for 5 years and we played maybe 5 shows a year, and we never repeated a setlist because it was the most boring thing ever. I don't want them to play 20 old demos, but it bothers me that they're trying to please the 'casual listener' so much. It's not too terrible to pick two BIG singles from every album (12 songs) and add/rotate some songs that hardcore fans like. LP songs are so easy to play that they wouldn't even need to rehearse some songs in order to be played live. But well.
Would you get mad at an Orchestra or a Philharmonic touring a continent but playing the same show every night? No, you wouldn't. So let's not get upset because Linkin Park has a *show* that they *perform* to *different* people every night.
I really can't understand for the life of me why you even still follow the band. I'm not trying to be mean or insulting, but I haven't seen you happy with anything they've done in a long time. Many of your posts lately have been to put down a decision or choice the band has made. Perhaps you've outgrown the band? :/ I just feel like you don't really care for the band anymore. I appreciate the compliments on the interview though.
Yeah, I noticed that one too. I mean, they were able to play all songs from Hybrid Theory era to A Thousand Suns era (well, except for Robot Boy making its debut on THP era) all throughout their shows. LIVING THINGS & The Hunting Party shared the same fate that the other songs weren't played LIVE or just being lazy to incorporate in the set. Like they need to drop Somewhere I Belong, Crawling, Runaway and replace it with new songs from THP like War, Mark the Graves, A Line in the Sand or from LT like I'LL BE GONE, POWERLESS & ROADS UNTRAVELED.
I can understand when a band writes a concept album, that some tracks are not necessarily designed for or translate well in a live environment, due to the fact that they're written to facilitate the progression of the album both musically and in terms of the theme|storyline, rather then be stand alone tracks. However, when an album is written for the specific purpose of producing a high energy album tailored for playing live, like LIVING THINGS and The Hunting Party both were to different degrees, then I really can't understand how so many tracks from the 2 albums have been completely ignored by the band. I know it's a common occurance with many artists,especially with later albums, but for me when I was in a band, one of the most important things was to insure that all the tracks written would sound as good as possible in a live environment, with the idea being that the whole point in writing music was to then perform it live. To record a track and then never ever want to play it live has always seemed a pretty strange concept to me,
I haven't seen the video because I'm at work and I probably shouldn't be checking LPA out but I get the criticism. Like people above me said, this album as well as LT were made so that they can play more high energy songs live. I understand that maybe LT wasn't fit for it but THP has songs like KTTK, ALITS, MTG, War and whatnot. KTTK and ALITS especially are two brilliant songs that would be a huge hit when played live. If the band doesn't add at least those 2 songs, I'd be very disappointed. I hope they do though. *fingers crossed* I do agree that if they came here and played this same setlist, I wouldn't care and would probably have a blast. But I'm also worried, after LT and now possibly with THP, that the band doesn't see a point in promoting the new albums more extensively. It certainly felt that way during the LT cycle especially with the unorganized single releases. Also, did Rebellion release as an official single or is it still a promotional one?
Not at all man. I love LP, they're my favorite band and still to this day I love The Hunting Party. It might be my favorite LP album. I just don't agree with some of the things they've done lately. I feel that the Minutes to Midnight/A Thousand Suns years were so good for the band, not only musically, but also regarding everything else that surrounded them. It felt like a revival of LP. They had different/rotating setlists, we got DSPs, LPTVs had great content, we got lots of making of videos of albums which allowed us to see their creative process, the band looking great on stage, the LPU was a lot of fun, and I can probably keep mentioning things. Nowadays I see a lot of things that I don't like and I'm very vocal about them. Yeah, I've stated numerous times that I don't like their current set, which is basically a greatest hits set for those who every now and then listen to the radio for LP singles. I honestly find shortening songs one of the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen a band do. I don't like that they ignore those who have followed them since the early days and stuck with them til this day. We didn't get any making of THP except for a little GATS preview. LPU is a lot more expensive than in the past and we rarely get a chat with a bandmembers (that's about the only thing EVERY LPUer have access too since M&G, Summits, Meetups, etc only apply to those who live in specific cities). LPTV basically gets whatever LP don't give to other sites as 'exclusive' content to use (Hello Chideo), so we just get 4 minute videos most of the time. I don't like seeing Brad barely moving on stage when supposedly the new songs were made to be fun to play on stage. I can probably keep mentioning things, but whatever. It's my personal opinion and even if I love the band I feel like I have the right to speak my mind considering I've been supporting them for almost 15 years.
They really have to change up the setlist, I mean i dont wanna go to brooklyn at barclays center in jan, hearing the same setlist i listened to this past summer
Look I don't think we can defend the band completely on this. They've been doing this setlist for so long. Why don't they take some time, rehearse other songs? Do they have to play a show like every night? I'd say quality over quantity. Also, they don't have to play demos no one knows. They're linkin park. Their albums sell pretty well and they can afford to play songs other than just singles. At-least probably outside America.