technically a stop-gap between 'Meteora' and the forthcoming 3rd studio album due early next year, Live In Texas is a fantastic double disc set recorded live in Texas (if that wasn't clear from the title).
I am a huge Linkin Park fan, but do understand that they are not the fairest to there fans when it comes to material that they release. 'Re-animation' for example - a remix album of 'Hybrid Theory' brought out to fill the void prior to the release of 'Meteora'. This is an example of their record label (Warner Bros) exploiting their fans because they know that the fans will stay loyal to the band regardless. But to bring out re-animation as a stop-gap and now to do exactly the same thing with 'Live In Texas' is quite frankly, taking the p**s.
Now ive got that out the way I can tell you about the 2-disc set. Regardless of what I have said previously, this is still extremely good value for money in its own right. You first of all get a CD with 12 tracks (including Crawling, One Step Closer and In The End) and that is backed up by an imaculately performed 17-track DVD of the same performance. The gig was part of a joint tour with Metallica, Limp Bizkit and Deftones and is done in Linkin Park's well-known perfect manner. The quality of the recording is extremely crisp, so much so that you can hear even the faintest words mumbled from Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda's mouths.
The one thing that has always been held against Linkin Park is their lack of communication to the crowd. Here we hear very little from the band except for little things like 'lets do this people' which quite frankly as far as crowd involvement goes, is pretty shoddy. Despite that I cannot knock their effort on stage. Their singing borders on perfection and they really do sound just like the studio albums (some say that is a bad thing). Chester and Mike both hit every note when needed and Mike's emceeing definetly makes the grade in my opinion.
Having said that they sound exactly like the studio efforts (which I dont believe is a bad thing), there is an incredible version of Pushing Me Away on the CD (labelled as P5HNG ME A*WY) which is completely different to the 'Hybrid Theory' version and im sure anyone would enjoy. There is also a variation of the chorus to 'One Step Closer' that is rather good too, it adds in a more melodic feel rather than just having Chester's screaming session.
The picture quality on the DVD is fantastic and is as crisp as the sound on the CD, there is also a couple of screen size option available as a variation.
Of course I will say regardless of the quality, that there should have been a third studio album in place of this but it has to be said that if the label were going to put anything in instead, then this is as good as it gets.
If you are an LP fan then im sure that you already own this, but if you aren't, then this may convert you. I personally already was, but this just confirmed my love for a great band and as far as first live efforts go - its top notch !
ANY COMMENTS WELCOME
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Music / Performing Arts, Comedy - Director: Trevor Nunn, Geoffrey Posner - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, Parental Guidance - Starring: Duncan Preston, Celia Imrie, Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Jim Broadbent
![Linkin Park: Live in Texas [DVD] [2003] [US Import]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/81494273.jpg "Linkin Park: Live in Texas [DVD] [2003] [US Import]")
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