Linkin Park Host Secret Show for Japan with Special Guest B’z

Seating only 2,000 people, the intimate Mayan Theater hosted a once-in-a-lifetime private concert in the name of love and selflessness. Linkin Park and Japanese rock megastars B’z made history joining forces with fans around the globe, raising over $350,000 for Japanese Tsunami relief. All proceeds went to both Music for Relief and Save The Children charities in providing food, shelter and school bags for Japanese children.

“Do we play a show and give the benefits to Music for Relief? Well, that’s kind of easy, but it doesn’t really engage the fans…We kind of took a few ideas and mashed them all together. Now, we have a platform and this is something other bands can do to engage their fans” – Chester Bennington, Linkin Park

In this ground-breaking campaign, both bands donated their time in exchange for fans surpassing fundraising goals. Using Linkin Park’s current Download to Donate humanitarian campaign and give2gther, a new, innovative fundraising platform, fans were able to raise $100,000 more than the initial goal in only 6 months. To win two tickets to the show and a meet and greet with the band, the first 50 fans had to raise at least $500.  The top 10 fundraisers won the same plus autographed instruments.  The #1 fundraiser enjoyed all aforementioned gifts plus a side-stage view of the most intimate Link Park concert in over 10 years. One fan raised $13,000 by themselves while other fans campaigned and gave their winnings to friends.  Generating more funds, a silent auction was held at the concert, raffling previously owned and autographed band paraphernalia directly from the band’s homes.

“[It’s great to know] there’s so many people that care about the farthest, small country. Even if you’ve never been there before. [This is] a huge encouragement. You guys send to Japan [a] huge hope of [the] future. [It is] one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.” – Koshi Inaba, B’z

Proving a special treat for the Linkin Park fans was the infallible partnering with the B’z, the biggest rock band in Japanese history.  They have 45 consecutive number one singles and 24 number one albums covering 20 years. With Steve Vai’s blessing, they are the first Asian band to have the their handprints cemented in the world-famous Guitar Center Hollywood Rockwalk.

“When we heard the news about the tragedy in Japan, one of the first things that we did was continuation of a project we have called Download to Donate. As part of that campaign, bands would [donate] songs and keep an ongoing album going. The fans would be able to donate money and have the album in return. The B’z generously donated a song to add to that album.” – Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park

Flying in from Japan specifically for this show, B’z opened the show with an electrifying 10 song set including “Home”, “Splash!,” “Brotherhood” and the single, “C’mon” from their current chart-topping album of the same name. Reminiscent of Sebastian Bach and Axle Rose, lead vocalist Koshi Inaba belted songs in both English and Japanese, while the impassioned band played on. Four of the band members sang backing vocals while Tak Matsumoto, the band’s founder, wailed effortlessly on guitar, blowing the audience away.

Linkin Park performed a whopping 17 song set with a 5 song encore (set setlist below). Huge screens played images of Japan’s plight, video montages from fans who had donated, ethereal images and a Max Headroom-style Robert J. Oppenheimer interlude.  Colored lights and fog mysteriously swirled around the band, half of which were on risers. Rob pummeled the drums; Mike played guitar and keys, rapped, sang and attempted to crowd surf (something he said he hasn’t been able to do since ’03); DJ Han manipulated turntables and electronic gadgets, and Chester, dripping with sweat, belted out his trademark astronomical screams and shook hands with the audience.  Amidst all the excitement, the band still had time to express humble gratitude to their fans for their accomplishment.

Linkin Park’s album, A Thousand Suns is available on iTunes

B’z Album, C’mon is currently exclusive to Japan

Photo Credit – Pamela Lin

LINKIN PARK SET LIST:

Cure For The Itch

Faint

Lying From You

Given Up

What I’ve Done

No More Sorrow

From The Inside (w/ Long Intro)

Jornada Del Muerto

Waiting For The End

Burning In The Skies

Numb (w/ Oppenheimer Outro, Into…)

Irridescent

Fallout

The Catalyst

Shadow of the Day

In The End

Bleed It Out

Encore: (Check Presentation Video) – Including Whitney Showler, Director of Philanthropic Services and Samuel Connor of Save the Children USA presenting a giant check to the audience.

The Messenger

Papercut

New Divide

Crawling

One Step Closer