RECAP: LINKIN PARK BRINGS 'FROM ZERO WORLD TOUR' TO VANCOUVER

Linkin Park made their long-awaited return to Rogers Arena in Vancouver for their From Zero World Tour on September 21st. It had been 13 years since their last visit to the city in 2012, and this marked only their fourth time ever performing here. The weight of history was not lost on the crowd of nearly 18,000, who came to see the band for the first time since the passing of Chester Bennington and to witness the new era that has reshaped them.

Photos by Tage Stenner / Backspin HQ

Linkin Park’s relationship with Vancouver stretches back to 2001 at The Orpheum. Their latest visit was different. It came after a seven-year hiatus, following the loss of their iconic frontman. In 2024, the band released From Zero, their first album since One More Light in 2017. The new lineup officially introduced Emily Armstrong as co-lead vocalist and Colin Brittain on drums, while Brad Delson stepped away from touring but remained part of the band. This tour is not about replacing the past but building on it, creating a future that celebrates Chester while also moving forward.

By the time the tour reached Vancouver, Linkin Park had already taken From Zero across the world. The tour began in late 2024 with arena sellouts in Inglewood and Brooklyn, before heading through Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. They returned to North America for an extensive arena leg across Canada and the United States. Vancouver arrived at the tail end of the West Coast run, just before the band’s final North American show in Seattle.

Ten minutes before the band appeared, both cube screens lit up with a massive countdown clock. The crowd also started singing Carly Rae Jepsen’s 'Call Me Maybe', a hometown nod that was already sang earlier in JPEG Mafia’s opening set. When the numbers hit zero, each member walked on stage as the show began.

The opening act surged with 'Inception Intro C' blending into 'Somewhere I Belong', followed quickly by 'Lying From You' and 'Crawling'. 'New Divide', paired with a Moscow-style intro, turned the arena into a choir. 'From Zero' and 'The Emptiness Machine' marked the first arrival of the new material, Armstrong’s vocals mixing with Mike Shinoda’s in a way that honoured the band’s past while carving out space for its future.

Act II opened with 'Creation Intro C' and a tightened version of 'The Catalyst' before 'Burn It Down'. 'Up From the Bottom' showcased the strength of the new record. Shinoda then surprised fans with Fort Minor’s 'Where’d You Go', shortened but cleverly tied into 'Waiting for the End', which now carries a futuristic 2024 synth intro. 'Lies Greed Misery', 'Two Faced', and a Joe Hahn and Colin Brittain solo sequence kept the energy shifting, while 'When They Come for Me' and 'Remember the Name' showed Mike in full command, capped with a rare 'Lift Off' demo verse. The section closed with 'IGYEIH' and 'One Step Closer', which came with a reimagined 2024 intro and a extended outro.

Act III brought a change in tone. 'Lost' began softly with Mike and Emily at the piano before the band powered in for the second half. 'Stained' carried the torch for the new album, leading into the timeless weight of 'What I’ve Done'.

Act IV highlighted the balance between old and new. 'Kintsugi' and 'Overflow' kept the spotlight on From Zero, with 'Overflow' opening through a haunting synth sequence that teased Metallica’s 'One'. 'Numb' was reinvented yet again, this time with a Johnny Cash-inspired 'Numb/Encore' opening that evolved into a full country jam outro. 'Over Each Other' followed before 'In the End' brought the entire building together in one of the loudest singalongs.

The encore began with 'Resolution Intro C' before 'Papercut'. 'Heavy Is the Crown', another new addition, proved the band’s fresh material can stand toe-to-toe with their classics. The night ended with 'Bleed It Out', which folded in the first verse of 'A Place for My Head', before closing on a high with an extended outro.

The in-the-round stage gave fans across the building a perfect vantage point. Overhead, cube screens projected a mix of live footage, glitch animations, and song-specific visuals. Lasers, strobes, CO₂ cannons, and pyro punctuated key moments without overpowering the music. The design was immersive, impressive, and true to the band’s forward-thinking identity.

Linkin Park’s return to Vancouver was not only about nostalgia, but about proving their place in the present. The From Zero World Tour is a celebration of survival, evolution, and renewal. Chester Bennington’s spirit was felt throughout, but the band’s commitment to honouring him while building something new made the night both powerful and necessary.

Upcoming Tour Dates

September 24 - Seattle, WA at Climate Pledge Arena

October 25 - Bogotá, Colombia at Distrito Verde

October 28 - Lima, Peru at Estadio San Marcos

October 31 - Buenos Aires, Argentina at Parque de la Ciudad

November 2 - Santiago, Chile at Estadio Nacional

November 5 - Curitiba, Brazil at Estádio Couto Pereira

November 8 - São Paulo, Brazil at Estádio MorumBIS

November 11 - Brasília, Brazil at Estádio Mane Garrincha

November 16 - Mexico City, Mexico at Corona Capital

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