In the middle of a heatwave we made our way over to Bitterzoet in Amsterdam. On the bill are L1nkn P4rk with support from local band Jinx. At first it was nice and chilly in the venue, but that was about to change quickly.
First up was Jinx. This local trio made sure to heat up the crowd. The band told us they were going to give us some rock songs and let me tell you, they delivered! The songs were catchy and everyone was happy to clap along. When the song ‘Rock City’ was announced the singer told us it was about Amsterdam. Sadly all sets end and so did this one. The band announced that it was going to be their last song and the crowd let out a few boo’s. The last song ‘Pedal to the Metal’ was about driving really fast, which translated well into how the song went. The fast guitars and a catchy chorus got the crowd going. When the band started chanting “Hey! Hey! Hey!” the crowd quickly joined in.
Next up was the band everyone came to see. L1nkn P4rk, a Linkin Park Tribute band from the UK. They have been doing this for a few years now, but this was their first show outside of the UK. Although the stage was small and barely fit all of the 6 band members, their performance was absolutely crazy. It really showed that the whole band had so much love and respect for Linkin Park. They were having the best time on stage, while also delivering a show that made everyone’s night. Their setlist ranged from older songs to one of Linkin Park’s latest releases, ‘Lost’. Before ‘One More Light’ was played the band announced that 50% of the money made from merch sales will be donated to charity. The band works closely with the charity organisation Help Musicians, which focuses on the mental health of music industry professionals. The crowd lit up with flashlights and the song started. This was an emotional experience for a lot of people in the crowd. The band closed off their set with three huge Linkin Park songs: ‘In The End’, ‘A Place for My Head’ and ‘One Step Closer’. During ‘A Place for My Head’, the crowd split into two groups. It was time for a battle of the sides and the side who could scream “Go Away!” the loudest won. Both sides were very loud, but there the left side won this time around. Right after the floor turned into a small mosh pit. The set ended with ‘One Step Closer’, but the crowd wasn’t done yet. After the crowd chanted “One more song” for a bit, the band came back to close the night with ‘Breaking the Habit’ and ‘Faint’.
As someone who never got the chance to see Linkin Park live, screaming out all those songs with everyone in that room, felt like much needed closure. The band still has a few months of touring left on this run, so be sure to check them out if they are coming anywhere near you! Dates and tickets can be found here.
