Was Mike Shinoda’s Speech at Linkin Park Show a Response to Chester Bennington’s Son?

Linkin Park’s first show after introducing Emily Armstrong and Colin Brittain is in the books and toward the end of the night, Mike Shinoda appeared to address at least one accusation Chester Bennington’s son Jaime have levied against the band.Since Emily Armstrong was revealed to be the new vocalist in the band, Jaime has been very vocal on social media about his displeasure over the choice. In speaking to why people might be having a hard time accepting Armstrong and the new Linkin Park lineup, Bennington offered a three-point response. One of those points was worded by Bennington as stating that the group had “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy in real time not only during a band interview meant to clear the air about certain parts of Linkin Park’s history and future, but during International Suicide Prevention Month.”Bennington had also let it be known on social media that despite his objections, he planned to attend the show to gain a sense of closure. He had also shared how his attempts to contact the group to line up ticketing had not been acknowledged and that he procured the tickets on his own with the help of a friend.What Did Mike Shinoda Say That Might Be Addressing Bennington?Toward the end of the night, Shinoda addressed the audience before playing the final song of their encore. He asked for a show of hands of who had previously seen Linkin Park and who was seeing the band for the first time.Seeming to be impressed by the near equal response of the latter query, he addressed the crowd.”That’s incredible. That’s part of why we’re back out there,” he explained. “It is not about erasing the past – it is about starting this new chapter into the future, and coming out here for each and every one of you.”“We love playing for you guys, we love writing this music – we’re very fucking excited about the new record,” he continued. “So thank you guys very much – we’ve had an incredible night with you. Hopefully we’ll see you soon.” The band then finished out the evening with the high energy banger “Bleed It Out” which can be seen along with the speech below.Linkin Park, “Bleed It Out” + Mike Shinoda SpeechWas Shinoda Speaking to Bennington?Was Shinoda sending a message to Bennington and addressing the accusation by Bennington of erasing his father’s legacy? The use of the specific phrase “erasing the past” appears to match up with Bennington’s wording. It also goes along with some of the messaging from the band’s livestream in which they encouraged the audience to be the voice of Chester and sing-along throughout the performance.READ MORE: Why Linkin Park Didn’t Change Their Name for ReunionAs for Bennington’s other points about Armstrong’s history with the Church of Scientology and being a friend and supporter of jailed actor Danny Masterson who attended his trial, the returning Linkin Park members have not addressed that. However, Armstrong issued a statement after the initial backlash about her past association with Masterson in which she revealed that she was asked to support the actor at his court appearance and soon realized that she shouldn’t have.”I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him,” said Armstrong. “I have never spoken with him since. Unimaginable details emerged and he was found guilty.” She went on to clarify in her statement, “To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.”Linkin Park in 2024With the Kia Forum show in L.A. now in the books, the band will play shows in New York, Hamburg, London and Seoul later this month, with a November date on the books for Bogota, Colombia. These come in support of the new album, From Zero, which is due Nov. 15.Every Linkin Park Single, RankedThey commanded the airwaves, but which Linkin Park single was best?Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire