one4review | On 07, Jan 2025

An explosive night of fury and angst with this top Linkin Park tribute.

It’s cold outside, but the packed rock aesthetic of the legendary Bannerman’s Bar in Edinburgh is, like its famous whiskey collection, warm and welcoming. As one of Edinburgh’s premier rock venues, tonight is no exception with the arrival of Linkin Park tribute act Meteora.

Hailing from the North East, this unit has been honing their craft for over the last year through festival and club appearances, paying homage to Linkin Park, whose two-decade career defined the fusion of nu-metal, rap, and electronic elements in albums like Hybrid Theory and, of course, Meteora.
Tonight, in a packed venue of hardcore fans, they deliver a masterclass in what Linkin Park did best, with a 22-song set split into two halves.

The first set kicks off with fan favorites “Don’t Stay” and “With You,” which serve as a greatest hits introduction for casual listeners. The venue’s intimacy perfectly suits this five-piece band, who quickly find their stride and exude the energy required for such a show. “Figure.09” is a standout, while deeper cuts from 2010’s A Thousand Suns, such as the hypnotic “The Catalyst” and the atmospheric “Waiting for the End,” draw the audience into Linkin Park’s more experimental side.

“Lost,” the recently unearthed track, is delivered with poignant energy. “Breaking the Habit” and “From the Inside” showcase the band’s best performance, with vocals cutting through the air like a knife. The first set closes with the anthemic “What I’ve Done” and the frenetic chaos of “Faint.”

After a well-deserved break, the band returns for the second set, delivering even more piss and vinegar. They take no prisoners—only true Soldiers are left standing.

This set is a testament to Linkin Park’s enduring legacy. Featuring a seamless blend of anthems and heartfelt ballads, “Papercut” and “Somewhere I Belong” reignite the crowd’s nostalgia, while the haunting delivery of “One More Light” offers a poignant moment of reflection. Despite the materials serious approach, Meteora are not without humour, with a well placed sneaky homage to Limp Bizkit thrown in.

The hits keep coming: “Numb” and “Bleed It Out” have the audience screaming every lyric, while “A Place for My Head” and “In the End” unleash an ever-growing mosh pit, electrifying the room.

Closing the evening with the explosive “One Step Closer,” Meteora leaves it all on the stage. It’s clear they are uber-fans, but delivering such an authentic homage to Linkin Park takes real talent—something they have in spades.

Trying to please all fans is never easy, but with such a varied set, they deliver in the spirit that made Linkin Park icons,

A performance to delight both hardcore and casual fans.
***1/2
Reviewed by Steve H