As comebacks go, it doesn’t get much better than Linkin Park’s. After seven years away following the tragic death of lead singer Chester Bennington, the band returned to the road in 2024 in support of their eighth studio album, From Zero. With the addition of vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, the new-look lineup has been wowing sold-out stadiums and arenas all over the world, backed by an 80-strong crew of production professionals, all performing to the highest level night after night.
While many of the Linkin Park crew joined the tour at the start of the cycle, the man leading the team, Tour Director, Jim Digby, has a history with the band dating back 25 years. “Over time you build relationships that run deeper than the gig,” he told TPiMEA. “Our history together is such that the way the band does business is aligned with the way I present the job; that’s part of the reason that longevity exists.”
With a gruelling schedule that will see the band play more than 100 dates in every continent around the globe by the time the tour is scheduled to conclude in summer 2026, Digby explained that the health and wellbeing of the crew and general operating atmosphere of the tour is paramount. “The artist requested from the outset that the experience back on the road needed to operate like family, with no toxic behaviour and a strong sense of unity,” he commented. “The culture of who we are is as important, than delivering the show 100% every night, and that ethos was paramount as we shaped the team.”
Catching up with TPiMEA backstage at Etihad Arena ahead of the band’s Abu Dhabi show, Digby recalled the intentionality of assembling a team and engaging suppliers for the band’s comeback, all while ensuring that the project maintained secrecy. “Discussion began nearly two years before the first show – the runway was long,” he reflected. “I spent around a year examining and shaping the roles, at that stage we didn’t know whether there would be success or how long it would last, so we were asking people to take a leap of faith with us.”
Photos: Chady Awad & TPiMEA
