From ddreamzz100 // Toni

5th May the day during my exam weeks – the final exams for the year and what did subjects did I have exams for? 3 hellish subjects that needed to be revised for: Chinese Writing, English Literature and Chemistry. Unlike a good student I wasn't revising around 8.00PM. Instead I was browsing the HKClubbing.com forums. And what do I come across but, FINAL ANNOUCED information about Linkin Park LIVE in Hong Kong. The first thing I do, is read it over and over again till I actually take in that Linkin Park will perform Live in Hong Kong on June 17th. The next thing I do is pick up my phone and dial one of my best friends [ the only LP freak I know other than myself ] She picks up and this is probably what she heard. “OHMYGODNADS?YOURENOTGONABELIEVETHISBUTLP'SSERIOUSLYCOMINGHERE!!!” but anyway, since she's so use to me like that she heard me. Then all I hear is thisl “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” What do I do next? Read the whole thread out to her. The final exam marks? Low.

In month and 12 days I would see Linkin Park live in my own city, a city I would never think Linkin Park would stop by to. Unlike they're last Asia tour, this tour included more South Eastern Venues, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila. The feeling knowing that my favourite band of all time would be performing just blew me away.

During that month and 12 days, Nadz and I talked about being on the M&G list at least 4 hours a day 5 days a week. We talked about what to get the guys, what we would say, what we would do. It was such a big thing to us; we didn't even care what we got for our final exam grades.

Finally the day before the concert, how the days dragged on us. We both didn't have anything proper for the guys. We talked a lot about giving the guys something but we never got around to actually going out and buying the things with Friends leaving at the end of the year, to just celebrating the end of our exam weeks, to finishing ICT so we wouldn't have to rush through after the gig. I did already have a gift already planned out for Rob, it was just a matter of making the final thing, so as I got home I spent a few hours on Rob's present; a pair of drumsticks with LP spray stenciled on it. Unfortunately me and Nadz both couldn't go to the airport to pick LP when they arrived that night.

June 17th, 2004
Unfortunately my plan of asking my parents about skiving school that day didn't work. So school I was when I could have been lining up for the M&G for me and Nadz (Peacefreak89). The Five lessons I had that day dragged on which seemed like 7 hours of torture, finally the time came.

Meet & Greet

I met my friend, both of us hyper and full of energy to see the best band ever at 5, as I was rushing to get everything perfect I left the house late and we arrived at the Venue later than we planned. We arrived at the HK Convention Centre around 5.30PM, 1 hour 45 mintues before the M&G was suppose to be held, we both didn't really think there were going to be a lot of people there as it was the M&G. But we never knew there would be 100 People around standing there lining up. Luckily I talked to a friend on the LPU Message board that was willing for me and Nadz to line up with her and another HK LPU-er.

We lined up for about 40 minutes in one place just talking about ourselves and what we were going to do when we saw them. What we would say. We then moved to another place, a empty hall, we lined up orderly along the wall. We waited for another hour or more till 8.15PM – one hour later than the M&G was suppose to be at.

We got moved to another place, lining outside of a small room where the M&G was being held made it more nerve racking for me. I couldn't even believe it, we went in the room in groups of 4. This was when it really got to me, so we lined up between us four and as evil as I am I made Nadz go first, then me and my new friends, Carol & Jess.

When we got in to the room, the first person I saw was Brad with his Fro & beard. He looked adorable. Then another person in the group before us moves away and who do I see? No other than Rob! I was on heaven, I couldn't believe I was in the same room as these people. or even think that they were real!

The security guard asked me what I wanted signed and all along I could only look straight at Mike who sat first at the table. Security asked me what I was holding and said that they're for the guys. He nodded and as Nadz was talking to Mike and shaking his hand, all I could do was blurt out Mike probably 3 times till I asked him for a photo. He looked up and I took a photo of him. Once he signed my flag he wrapped it around Phoenix's head who sat next to him.

Phoenix posed with my flag and I took about 3 photos of him with my flag around his head. He had trouble finding the right side but once he found it he signed it and moved it on to Rob. I asked for a photo of him. He smiled and even stuck his hand out for me to shake. This was when it really hit me. I was actually asking these 6 guys, the 6 that I admire for photos and trying to talk to them while they had their conversations between themselves.

Rob was next and I was on heaven when I actually saw him. I was probably gawking at him, which he probably saw me trying not to drool on him. But anyway, I got out the photo my friend took at the Jakarta show that she wanted me to give Rob. He took it and looked at it while I explained that it was my KL Friend who went to Jakarta and wanted me to print it off for him. He had this tiny smirk on his face and put it next to him – on the floor. I put the drumsticks on the table and pushed them towards him while he signed, which then he reacted and pushed them back to me. I said to him “They're for you”, it seemed weird how he pushed my present back to me.
He answers “For me to keep?” and I'm obviously thinking 'um, yeah?'
So I reply “Yeah” Brad then leans over and asks,
“Did you make them yourself?”
I nod and reply “Yeah, I spray painted them myself”. Brad nods and mumbles a “cool” and turns back, I'm already holding up the line by now so I quickly ask for Rob to hold the photo of himself and the pair of drumsticks but he holds the drumsticks. So I try explaining I want a photo of him holding the photo and the drumsticks and once again he looks blank. So I take a photo of him anyway.

Brad was next by now I'm mentally kicking myself for not asking Rob to shake his hand. Brad's already passed my flag down to Joe when I get to him so I ask Brad for a photo and ask to shake his hand as I see Nads still talking to Joe.

I move on to Joe and look at the folder I'm holding which still has the envelope that was for Brad, I reached over and said that the envelope was him and he quickly thanked me and put it next to him. I'm not too sure whether I got a photo of Joe.

By the time I'm at Chester my flag is already outside and security are pulling my friend out so I ask Chester for a pick and I'm already getting pulled out by security. Security says that my flag is outside but when I get there I see my friend looking really lost trying to find her CD cover aswell. So we go right outside and tell the security at the door.

By now I'm hysteric; I'm starting to tear up because I hardly got to say anything to the guys properly but Rob. But the other guys all I did was ask for a picture, I felt so bad. Although the whole M&G experience may seem long with all the writing, but truthfully, it felt like 2 minutes. A organizer comes out and he hands our stuff back to us and I thank him so much, I blab on about how we only get 10 seconds. While my friends are pulling me away so we run to the lockers where I shove everything inside and start to run back up to the Hall.

The Show

By the time we got to the hall it was about 8.25PM and we already missed the opening act, PIA. I was looking forward to see PIA perform but unfortunately we never got the chance to see them. We waited for another 30 minutes till LP actually came out. Since this was my first standing concert and my first ever LP one it was something I'd been looking forward to since I found out they'd come here. During the wait for LP to come out a few girls that were surrounding me and my friend were screaming “OHMIGOD MIKE YOURE SO HOT!!” that really put me off till I saw Rob and Joe at the back and Phoenix and Brad suddenly came out it started the show I'd been anticipating for.

The set list was the same as the European shows, they started off with Don't Stay, and honestly I loved the new intro, it was fresh and different. Although at the beginning of the show there was an announcer that came out and said that no moshing was aloud it didn't really affect the atmosphere. When LP started people pushed and shoved and as me and my friends were in the 5th or 6th row from the front we made our way through to the 2nd and 3rd during the show. It was an awesome show although there were flaws that I think could be improved. Mike even said “Doh Jie” (Thank You in Cantonese) although I didn't hear it a lot of other people did.

The Step Up, Nobody's listening, It's going down medley was awesome. I'd listened to RaR and it completely blew me away. I love how they played songs that I wouldn't expect them to play like Step Up & It's Going Down, both songs which I really like. I can remember myself singing to every song screaming my head off, holding my hands up.

A Place for My Head was awesome, although Mike skipped the “If someone falls down you gotta pick them up” speech he would say, it was still non the less awesome. People pushed and shoved even though there was strictly no moshing. When brad stood right in the middle of the stage and started clapping it just built up the atmosphere even more.

LP went back in for a few minutes then lights suddenly flashed and the beginning of Reanimation started playing, then LP came back on and started playing Crawling. Another great song live. Chester's voice was amazing. Mike made the crowd sing along with Chester which lead me and my friend to scream our heads off, holding our hands above the swarm of heads. Wish and One Step Closer was awesome, there's no words to describe how good it was.

At the end of the show the guys threw picks & drumsticks out, Mike wiped Chester's sweat on a towel and threw it out to the crowd. My friend and I didn't get anything although a girl in front of me got Rob's drumstick. We hung around a little and found a purple used guitar pick that could have been from the guys as Brad threw one out while he was playing during the show. We asked the security guards to see if there was anything on the stage we could have, all the set lists were gone but a security guard found a pick from Phoenix and gave it to my friend.

It was an awesome experience any how, but I find as though LP wont come to Hong Kong anytime soon. As there aren't so many Dedicated LP fans here than there probably are in Singapore or Bangkok. This really disappoints me as I know people who went to see LP just cause LP's a well known band and people who went to see them didn't even know them properly. Not everyone there knew the songs well and wouldn't jump or scream with the crowd, probably less than a quarter of the hall knew LP properly.

If LP ever do come back to Hong Kong, I would like to see the whole hall filled with people who know LP. I'd also like LP to change the venue as the sound system in the Hong Kong Convection Center really isn't all that great. You could barely hear Chester properly, but you could see him giving it all he got.

None the less it was still my first LP gig and M&G, but hopefully if I do see LP live again, it'll be another awesome experience. Just better than my first.