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Linkin Park's current tour alongside Coheed & Cambria and Chiodos should've been called "The Clash of the Titans." That was imminently clear from the jaunt's sold out stop at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Pairing up hard rock's heavyweights with two of the strongest genre favorites made this one of the best road shows in recent memory. In fact, hot sub-genres were proudly represented by Coheed's divine and destructive 21st century prog and Chiodos's rock opera-emo. Of course, Linkin Park closed it all out with a set somewhere between U2's big-rock-show bombast and Korn's cathartic energy, proving they deserve their spot at the top of rock's current heap.

Chiodos kicked off the show, bringing a highly energetic set of songs from their breakout hit Bone Palace Ballet. Each scream and note resonated equally, and the band set the stage for a raucous night of rock and roll. However, Coheed brought everything to another level. The group made the most of the 360-degree stage setup. Frontman Claudio Sanchez took command of the center stage, flying this ship. His voice hit near-divine notes on opener "No World for Tomorrow," and his fretwork proved equally fiery.

Coheed controlled the big stage as Claudio ran across the stage during "Delerium Trigger" and held each note tightly on "Blood Red Summer." He became a prog-rock god in this setting, pulling off each trippy solo with a seasoned aplomb. Meanwhile drummer Chris Pennie simply killed it. The former Dillinger Escape Plan skinsman plays with a combination of tech-metal virtuosity and classic rock charisma. The percussive build on "Feathers" proved massive, and Pennie held the music's backbone together. By the time Coheed ended their 50-minute set with a powerful rendition of "Welcome Home," the packed crowd was in awe. From the lights to the songs, Coheed have mastered prog for the MySpace generation.

Linkin Park managed to put on a captivating show that highlighted fan favorites and newer fare. Opening with "What I've Done" from last year's Minutes to Midnight, the band slowly pulled the audience in. A slow piano melody proved dreamy as the band rose to the stage from underground elevators. The roars began and frontman Chester Bennington nailed every note. His voice soared over the crowd, and set the tone for a smashingly poignant set. Immediately after "What I've Done," the band launched into "Don't Stay" and from there, they kept the intensity at all-time high.

Bennington traded vocals with his counterpart Mike Shinoda as they each dominated the stage. The yin and yang interplay between Bennington and Shinoda has made Linkin Park unique. They’ve managed to outlast trends because they have the dynamic of a true, great rock band. "Somewhere I Belong," "Crawling," and "Numb" were all huge sing-a-longs.

The slower numbers brought out some lighters, but by the time "Bleed It Out" hit, the crowd kept the fire burning. During the closing encore of "One Step Closer" and "Faint," one thing was clear, these are the new titans. Don't forget it

—Rick Florino
03.06.08