Mike Shinoda with Monster Energy Outbreak Tour at HOBLV with Don Bronco

The Monster Energy Outbreak Tour made a stop in Las Vegas at House of Blues, with Don Bronco opening the show for Mike Shinoda, who is marking his first full-scale solo trek of North America after releasing his first solo album, Post Traumatic, in June of this year. This is the first tour post death of Linkin Park member Chester Bennington, and was an emotional, through cathartic show, with songs from Shinoda's new album as well as Linking Park favorites, with a lot of crowd participation and healing.

Opening up the show was the band DON BROCO from Bedford England, and since it was the night before Halloween, the band came out all dressed in costumes, ranging from dresses to fairy outfits, which elicited loud cheers and laughter from the crowd. Thier sound is a mix of alternative / pop, and they are a solid, fun, light-hearted band, a great start to the night.

The lights dimmed, the sound of the Beastie Boys "It’s Tricky" echoed over the sound system, and more than one fan had tears in their eyes as MIKE SHINODA came out onto the stage, dressed in all black with heavy gold chains reminiscent of the Beasties. The crowd was jumping and cheering, as Shinoda and the band ran back and forth across the stage, and Shinoda told the crowd when he started out in music, he would sit in his room and mix Beastie Boys songs. Mike Shinoda was the founder and principal songwriter for Linkin Park, he plays multiple instruments, and his solo show consisted of various musical styles. He performs rap, hip hop, ballads and rock….and he does them all very well.

The set list featured nine Linkin Park songs and Shinoda talked about his friend and bandmate Chester Bennington and his passing, and that this tour was a thank you to the fans and a tribute. He also asked the fans to sing Chester’s parts, and the packed venue responded in kind. I have seen lots of shows where the fans sing along with the band, but I have never seen a show where the entire venue sang solo, while Shinoda played keyboards - all the while smiling at what he was witnessing. The most emotional song of the night was the Linkin Park megahit "The End".

Near the end of the show, Shinoda said he had a big surprise for the fans, and welcomed his Linkin Park bandmate, bass player Dave Farrell on stage for an encore to the cheers from the crowd, and Shinoda and Farrell both mentioned that this was the best encore and crowd of the entire tour so far. The two blasted out "Iridescent," and it was great to see the two of them on stage again. For the last song, Shinoda made his way into the barricade, and got up and close with the crowd where he sang “Running From My Shadow”, while the fans reached out to him and sang along. What a night!

MIKE SHINODA SETLIST:

It's Tricky (Run‐D.M.C. cover) (snippet)

When They Come for Me (Linkin Park song)

I.O.U.

Until It Breaks (Linkin Park song)

In Stereo (Fort Minor song)

Hold It Together

Roads Untraveled (Linkin Park song)

Ghosts

Sorry for Now (Linkin Park song)

Crossing a Line

Waiting for the End / Where'd You Go