LINKIN PARK's MIKE SHINODA On CHESTER BENNINGTON: 'He Was Such A Happy, Fun Guy'

LINKIN PARK's Mike Shinoda spoke to the Los Angeles radio station KROQ Monday morning (September 18) about the band's first concert since Chester Bennington died in July. The group will perform a one-off "celebration" to honor the singer on October 27 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

A press release promises an "an unforgettable night of music" featuring a number of other artists. Proceeds from the show will go to Music For Relief's One More Light Fund in memory of Bennington.

Shinoda told KROQ that the decision to move forward with the tribute concert took some encouragement. "I had gone to [producer] Rick Rubin as a source of guidance," he explained (hear audio below). "He had said, 'I think you guys need to get on stage. 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 — we haven't gone on stage. He said, 'The fans want to see you. Not because they want to see a show, but there's a cathartic experience that needs to happen and it'll inform what you guys are doing.' And I thought it over — and I know that for some of the guys in the band, getting on stage [without Chester] is more scary than [for] other guys in the band, but I will say that for all of us, it's definitely the thing that we want to do. It feels like the right way to celebrate Chester."

Shinoda also touched on Bennington's tragic death at the age of 41. The singer was found after committing suicide at his home in Palo Verdes Estates, California on Thursday, July 20, leaving behind his wife Talinda and six children from multiple relationships.

"With something like this, and it was the same at his funeral… I know that the circumstances of his passing were really dark, and as we said at the time, the darkness that he had was always there and was kind of part of the package, but what was so unique and special about this guy is that he used it as fuel to do so many positive things," Mike said. "His overall, the way he was, he was such a happy guy, he was such a fun guy. 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."

He continued: "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."

The pre-sale for LINKIN PARK's Hollywood Bowl concert — the guest list for which is "still coming together," according to Shinoda — begins September 19, while tickets become available to everyone on September 22.