Arts & Entertainment
 

Fans get sweaty for Meteora

P.O.D.'s music with a message works frenzied crowd as well as headliners Linkin Park

by Lindsey Bowers
The Daily Cougar

The impeccable compound of Linkin Park, P.O.D., Hoobastank and Story of the Year brought about an amazing concert Thursday night at the Toyota center.

From the showcase of Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington's varied vocal talents to the innovative samples, beats and sounds expelled from Joe Hahn's turntables, everything about LP's performance was exemplary. The familiarity and freshness of every song -- "One Step Closer," "Papercut," "Points of Authority," "Crawling" and others -- caused many in the audience to mosh, throw up their rock hands and sing-along with every word.

Linkin Park didn't rely on audio alone to portray their art; the group used a multi-media approach. Utilizing images from their album covers and abstract urban photographs, the band created a sensory experience for their fans. 

As a group that combines alternative rock with creative hip-hop rhythms, Linkin Park seemed to send the crowd over the edge. The mosh pit was insane -- sweaty, packed to the brim and full of avid crowd surfers. It was a workout to even stay standing, but remaining close to LP's captivating musical experience was well worth being smashed up against a fat man with horrendous body odor.

Many others sacrificed the claustrophobic conditions to be near the band. Before LP came out, two uninhibited young women wanted to keep their territory on the floor so bad that they pulled down their pants. Toyota Center bouncers escorted one of the perpetrators off the floor. 

Although Linkin Park's performance was stellar, P.O.D.'s time on the stage was just as impressive. Organizers would have been smart to let the bands share headlining duties on the Meteora World Tour 2004.

Accented with green laser lights, P.O.D.'s backdrop was a full-color scrim of their latest album's cover with three illuminated boxes that displayed illustrations of an eyeball, a skull and a human heart.

Their newest single, "Change the World" and another hit "Will You" were among the most exceptional numbers of the night. P.O.D. carries a reputation of really caring about their fans, and it was seen when they called for some select Houston "warriors" to stand up on stage with them during "Youth of the Nation." 

P.O.D.'s performance of "Alive" encompassed a message of love, worship and praise from the mainstream Christian rock band. The song conveyed so much on many different levels that it stood apart from the rest of the set, and during the song, it was as if every audience member was captivated by the sound.

Starting things off, Story of the Year warmed up the audience with their one catchy song, "Until the Day I Die."

Hoobastank came on next and gave mundane renditions of their radio hits "Out of Control" and "Crawling in the Dark." However, the Southern California rockers redeemed themselves with a touching performance of their sweet ballad, "The Reason."

Linkin Park

Toyota Center

The verdict: LP & P.O.D. left fans exhausted, inspired and impressed.

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