Linkin Park: 'Outdoor Festivals Have Killed The Live Experience'

Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington believes that outdoor music festivals have “killed the live experience.”

Just weeks after triumphing at Download Festival (thankfully in the dark), Chester told NME that indoor shows are where the band really belong.

Enthusing about the band’s upcoming European arena tour, Chester said: "I always prefer to play inside.

"Rock and roll was not meant to played with the sunshine in your face. It can be done, but it's done begrudgingly because we're forced to do it.

“I think that it's interesting, but the outdoor festivals killed the live experience a little bit. The whole idea of seeing a rock band is to be in a dark place with lights and the stage and to be part of the show."

He added: "When you're sitting on the grass in the sunshine, whether the lights are on, it doesn't f***ing matter - you're just up there playing songs. Inside, dark, controlled environment, lights, loud music - always better."

!

Chester also revealed that the band’s setlist will draw heavily from their sixth studio album ‘The Hunting Party’, which debuted at no.2 in June.

"That was something that was inspiring to us," he said. "We wanted to make music that was going to be fun to play live.

"We challenged ourselves, even at the beginning of making Living Things, to try and incorporate those songs into the set, and I think that every single track off this record (‘The Hunting Party’) would be fun to incorporate into a live set - so the more tracks that we can add, the better."

Linkin Park play Manchester Arena on Saturday 22nd November and London's O2 Arena on Sunday 23rd.

Tickets go on sale 9am this Friday (11 July) at kerrangradio.co.uk/tickets!