House of Music

Linkin Park

Golden 1 Center

Sacramento, CA

September 17th, 2025

Photos and Review by Alexander Andrade

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be watching Linkin Park live again, I wouldn’t have believed you. After their 2017 “One More Light” tour came to a heartbreaking stop following the passing of Chester Bennington, it felt like the end of an era. Fast forward to now, and the band is back, this time with a new voice leading the charge, Emily Armstrong—and let me tell you, it was something special.

Their “From Zero World Tour” hit the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento last night, and the energy was off the charts. This was the band’s first tour since 2017, and they came out swinging.

The show kicked off at 8:55 PM, but not before a giant 10 minute countdown clock ticked away on the screen. As soon as it hit zero, the place exploded. The intro track “Inception” played as a single beam of light hit the center of the stage. The band slowly walked out, one by one, and dove straight into “Somewhere I Belong” from the Meteora album. Goosebumps.

The setlist leaned heavily on nostalgia, with just a few tracks from their new album From Zero, which dropped back in May. Honestly, that balance felt right. It gave longtime fans (like me) a chance to reconnect with the classics while also getting a taste of this new chapter.

Now, let’s talk about Emily Armstrong. When she was first announced as the new lead singer, a lot of people had mixed feelings, understandably. Chester is irreplaceable. But to be fair, Emily didn’t come to replace him, she brought her own flavor. Hearing her take on songs like “Numb,” “In The End,” “Bleed It Out,” and “What I’ve Done” was surreal. She didn’t try to mimic Chester—she honored the songs while adding her own edge, and honestly? It worked. Really well.

One of the most powerful moments of the night was when she let the crowd take over the lyrics during some of those iconic songs. Chester’s name was never directly mentioned, but in those moments—when thousands of fans were screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs—you could feel his presence. It was a tribute without saying a word.

Oh, and here’s a fun confession: I just learned last night that Mike Shinoda had a side project called Fort Minor. I know, I know late to the party. But when the band covered “Where’d You Go” and “Remember The Name,” it blew my mind. I was hyped and a little embarrassed at the same time. Live and learn, right?

There were no real breaks between songs, it was hit after hit, and the energy never dropped. Everyone in that arena was in it from start to finish.

All in all, this show was more than a concert. It was a full circle moment. Linkin Park isn’t trying to be what they were in 2017. They’re evolving, growing, and still absolutely crushing it. And honestly? I can’t wait to see what this new version of the band does next.

Linkin Park