LINKIN PARK STILL BUZZING ABOUT FIRST EVER STADIUM SHOW IN CHINA

Mike Shinoda talks about Linkin Park being the first rock band to perform in a stadium in China and why the Chinese National Guard were called in.

Linkin Park have recently returned from the Far East after becoming the first rock band to perform at a stadium in China. The accomplishment, which has been tried several times by many different bands was never allowed by the Chinese Government until Linkin Park’s performance in Shanghai at Hong Kou Stadium on Sunday, November 18. For many years China has fought to protect its people from Western influences but with the upcoming Beijing Olympics the government has been a little more open to allowing other cultures and influences behind its borders. With a near sell-out crowd, China’s rabid music fans forced their government to call in their National Guard because they suspected a riot might erupt at any moment and they felt they might need re-enforcement.

We caught up with Mike Shinoda to get his thoughts on their Chinese visit and why there was such a police presence at the gig.

“Because they thought their was going to be riots! Happy to report the show went well. Hopefully they’ll have more rock shows like it from now on in China. We are just buzzing off of that. I’m here, I have that in my head, I have jet lag. I’m crazy! We’re looking forward to another tour. We’re doing a U.S. tour and a U.K. tour. The U.S. tour we’re hitting a lot of markets we haven’t hit in a long time. We’re starting out in Omaha.”

Music for Relief, which is an organization that was started by Linkin Park, has launched a benefit auction on eBay to raise funds for the survivors of the recent cyclone in Bangladesh and for families displaced by the recent Southern California wild fires. Linkin Park has donated VIP ticket packages, signed customized x-box games and Mike Shinoda DC Remix sneakers for the cause.

Linkin Park are currently on a brief hiatus for the holidays before beginning a new round of touring in 2008 in support of their multi platinum release ‘Minutes to Midnight.’ The band are taking out Coheed and Cambria as their opening act. Dates are booked until March 10th in Sacramento, California.