Linkin Park’s risky return with a new singer has paid off. A year in their From scratch On a world tour, the band says the shows have exceeded expectations, despite initial backlash about continuing without the late Chester Bennington.
The tour, which started in late 2024 and runs until June 2026, has already attracted hundreds of thousands of fans across Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
Bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell admits in a new interview that the band’s comeback has been uncertain. “We didn’t know what to expect… Tour is a completely different animal.”
Farrell said the mix of new members and the older original trio – himself, Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn – created “a lot of question marks.” But the reactions were mostly positive. “After more than a year, things have been going really well… Everyone has stayed relatively healthy… And the shows have been great.”
He acknowledged the emotional and public pressure to move on without Bennington, who died in 2017. “The risk… is that you might feel embarrassed or put something out there that no one likes.” Despite sleepless nights over the decision, he came to the conclusion that fear of criticism ‘should never be a reason’ to avoid creating new art.
The new line-up consists of singer Emily Armstrong, drummer Colin Brittain and guitarist Alex Feder who replace Brad Delson.
The band debuted their revamped lineup in September 2024 and released their critically acclaimed album From scratch two months later.
