Sum 41’s recent audience in England were treated to a rather special performance, with the group bringing out Mike Shinoda to perform a special Linkin Park cover.
Taking to the stage at the Reading Festival on Saturday afternoon, Canadian punk-rockers Sum 41 decided to bring out a special guest to help close out their set.
After performing a handful of their classic tracks (including a cover of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’), the band welcomed none other than Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda to the stage to help perform a cover of Linkin Park’s 2003 track ‘Faint’.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very, very special guest with us tonight,” proclaimed frontman Deryck Whibley. “Say hello to Mr. Mike Shinoda!”
Mike Shinoda (who was also appearing at the Reading Festival that same day as a solo act) took part by rapping his verses, while Deryck Whibley took over from late singer Chester Bennington to deliver a rather faithful rendition of the chorus vocals.
As it is, the track ‘Faint’ holds a rather special place in the hearts of Linkin Park fans, with it being the one of the final songs played by Chester Bennington as a member of the group, having performed it in England two weeks before his death.
Likewise, Sum 41 and Linkin Park have held a strong relationship for quite a while, with the punk-rockers taking part in Chester Bennington’s tribute concert last year, performing a cover of ‘The Catalyst’.
In related Linkin Park news though, Mike Shinoda has repeatedly discussed how he’s not entirely sure what the future holds for the band, stating he’s happy to focus on his solo career right now.
“I don’t really know where it’s gonna go,” Shinoda explained. “I’m basically trying to keep everything really open (right now).”
“I’m more excited about shows now than any time I can remember, just even doing a club show the other night for 600 people,” he continued. “I’d written like a set for 60 minutes and I was onstage for 85, just kind of milking it. I was actually talking a lot, I added songs to the set and I was just enjoying being up there. We were just having this really cool, communal energy or something.”
“So I’m really just looking forward to more of that and wherever that takes me.”
Check out Linkin Park’s ‘Faint’:
Sum 41 @ Reading Festival, England 25/08/2018 Setlist
‘The Hell Song’
‘Motivation’
‘Over My Head (Better Off Dead)’
‘Walking Disaster’
‘We’re All To Blame’
‘We Will Rock You’ (Queen cover)
‘In Too Deep’
‘Still Waiting’
‘Fat Lip’
‘Faint’ (Linkin Park cover) (with Mike Shinoda)
