July 17, 2008
Boston Herald

Beavis and Butt-Head might be retired, but judging by the scene in Mansfield last night, their proteges are very much employed. That said, while the crowd at the first stop of Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution tour was a reckless bunch that favors sleeveless T-shirts and generic tattoos, they sure know how to rock out.

The troopers partied all afternoon in the parking lot, where 10 Years, Hawthorne Heights, Armor For Sleep and Atreyu scorched the blacktop.

Inside on the main stage, with not a stitch of non-black clothing among them, A Perfect Circle spin-off Ashes Divide brought music to match their morose dress code. The post-Goth outfit was responsibly loud and clear, yet artistically audacious, a sweet fit in Projekt Revolution’s aurally accessible line-up.

It takes titanic theatrics to wow a crowd before the sun goes down, and Busta Rhymes’ set was adequately animated.

On “Scenario,” which dropped before many in the crowd were born, and through more recent cuts such as “Break Ya Neck,” Rhymes touched ladies without alienating guys. The man doesn’t just rap, he miraculously manipulates his mind, mouth and microphone.

Brooklyn’s The Bravery opened with its barroom anthem, “Believe,” and worked through the hilariously titled “Every Word From Your Mouth Is a Knife In My Ear.”

Ex-Soundgarden and Audioslave front man Chris Cornell followed with a strong hour of old and new material, from “Black Hole Sun” to songs off his upcoming third solo disc. Cornell’s cool Euro look and hard, angelic vocals still get girls gushing and guys envying - especially when Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington joined him for Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike.”

Aside from the obligatory light display and a colorful intro by the percussionist trio Street Drum Corps, Linkin Park came with no gimmicks - just a recognizable catalogue 10 times deeper than the band’s early critics would have ever imagined.

It’s hard to admit this, but watching Linkin Park tear up their set last night led to one conclusion: The California-born rap-rockers have evolved into everything a stadium band should be: anomalously audible, sincere and, most importantly, metaphysically connected to their maniacal fans.