Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda Talks Chester Bennington Tribute Concert

Linkin Park knows this may be the hardest gig they've ever played.

According to Entertainment Tonight, Mike Shinoda opened up about the loss of his friend and lead singer Chester Bennington during an interview with Los Angeles' KROQ on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. The musician also discussed the rock band's plans for their Friday, Oct. 27 Hollywood Bowl tribute concert in Bennington's memory.

"I had gone to Rick Rubin as a source of guidance," Shinoda explained. "He said, 'I think you guys need to get onstage. I think that'll be the thing that'll feel good. It'll be super, super hard.' We haven't gone out together in public, we haven't played." He added that the celebrated rock producer told him, "'The fans want to see you. Not because they want to see a show, there's a cathartic experience that needs to happen and it'll inform what you guys are doing.'"

In the wake of Bennington's untimely death, Shinoda said he hopes the public memorial event will shine light on the late singer's positive outlook. "When he'd walk in the room, there was such a positive, funny, upbeat energy, and that's what we wanna get out of this show...I know it's gonna be a roller coaster of emotion, but when we talk about this and when we're focusing on the show, it's really about, like we say, celebrating life."

As Nicki Swift previously reported, Bennington died on July 20, 2017 at 41 years old. He had committed suicide by hanging. The tribute concert will be hosted by Linkin Park, and will feature an as-of-yet unannounced line-up of musicians, with proceeds benefiting the Music For Relief's One More Light Fund. For ticket information, visit LinkinPark.com. 

Linkin Park also released a music video for "One More Light" this week to honor their friend. "'One More Light' was written with the intention of sending love to those who lost someone. We now find ourselves on the receiving end," Shinoda said in a statement. "We are so very grateful [to our fans]."

While we wait for more details about the concert, read up on the untold truth of Chester Bennington.