Linkin Park / Biffy Clyro

Somewhere in Hollywood, Fred Durst idly scratches his balls and waits for the call of the reality TV producer.

On the other side of the world, survivors of the 'nu-metal' implosion, Californian sextet Linkin Park, are laying waste to a string of the UK's most monstrous venues (their first real brush with the British crowds since 2003's 'Meterora' tour) and tonight its Manchester's turn.

First up, time-served touring titans, Biffy Clyro (in what is surely their three millionth gig in the last twelve months) take to the stage to deliver their own brand of dark, gritty rock; rendering the crowd bloody and gasping with the stupendous 'Who’s Got a Match' before launching into soaring MTV pleaser, 'Living is a Problem (Because Everything Dies)'. Then there’s frontman Simon Neil - hair flying, sweat dripping, guitar wedged firmly in his armpit and riffing like his life depends on it.... you'll do yourself an injury there Simon.

By far the stand out track of the set is dirty, heaving, snorter 'Glitter and Trauma' from 2004's Infinity Land, reminding everyone that Biffy's success has been hard won but well deserved. Although they do appear slightly out of place supporting a well oiled machine like Linkin Park (Mike Shinoda probably never dug up roads for a living) they're certainly not out of their depth – coming across as a band who've always lived for what they do and relishing every last drop of their success.

Linkin Park, take the stage, concealed by means of an enormous white sheet (to the strains of ‘Wake’) projecting six hulking shadows, wrenching ravenous cries from the throats of the audience. Blistering opener ‘Given Up’ impacts like a sucker punch and leaves the audience just as breathless. LP front man Chester Bennington explains that he can tell this is going to be a good night, and frankly, so can we.

Tonight, Linkin Park are on fine form, energetic and appearing genuinely pleased to be there, they showcase previous success by means of storming renditions of 'Lying from you' and 'Somewhere I Belong' and foretell success to come with 'No More Sorrow' which acts as a perfect vessel for Chester Bennington's vocal talent (which ranges from serene and haunting to surprisingly 'Cookie Monster' depths).

LP reveal themselves to be accomplished musicians throughout the set, tight, slick and on the same wavelength, even if Joe Hahn isn’t given enough opportunity to show off his deck-stroking skills.

New material blends effortlessly with old; 'Numb' slides into My December with ease and the set and the band are anything but predictable, with surprises including a teasing glimpse of 2002's X-ecutioner's collaboration 'Its Going Down' and the 'Points of Authority' intro nicely fudged by an overexcited Mike Shinoda who laughs it off like he's sharing a joke with old friends.

Current single 'Shadow of the Day' manages bravely to keep the saccharine element to a minimum and LP's momentum is tangible in the subsequent beating the audience are treated to with 'Crawling', unit-shifter 'In the End' and breakthrough anthem 'One Step Closer'.

Okay, so the criminal lack of Hybrid Theory album track 'Pushing Me Away', reportedly reworked into a stripped-down piano based haunt, was undoubtedly disappointing as is the wheeling out of the tired old fan manipulation trick 'which side of the arena can shout loudest?'. However, it is almost forgiven by means of the superb encore; delivered to a salivating crowd in the forms of 'In Between' and 'What I've Done', together with good-time fist –pumper 'Bleed It Out' (with Rob Bourden's ferocious drum solo leaving brains bumping dangerously against the sides of skulls) and a glorious 'Faint', leaving the audience replete.

Tonight's gig reveals the elegant and innovative dimension to LP (which drove them to scale new and different heights with 2007's 'Minutes to Midnight'); a band who refuse to be buried with the carcass of their nu-metal comrades. On the way out, its telling that the digital download of tonight's gig has sold out completely - snapped up by kids eager to relive the tremendous live fury of a band that have shucked off that millstone and are free to do things their way.

FUTURE GIGS

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