For diehard fans and curious 'haters' alike, the return of the vilified nu metallers makes for intriguing viewing. An outdoor freebie is the setting for Fred Durst to plead his case for the perpetually delayed new album and the departure of Wes Borland.
Unsurprisingly, Durst is built of sterner stuff than to let a few million medalling critics and an almost global backlash deflate his giant ego. If he weren't, he'd have quit long before now. The question is whether he can go as far as making us feel sorry for him. Which is something of a stumbling block, as it's hard to have sympathy for a man who's the chief architect of his own decline and refuses to engage his brain before mouthing off.
Tonight, Durst crams in an ill-advised swipe at Britney, embarrassing monologues about the rage in his head, inane ad-libs - "you won the football tonight, motherf*ckers" - and makes enough corny comments to make even your father cringe. Then there's the infuriating interludes between each song, lack of big screens, a neighbourhood-friendly cap on the volume and self-defeating segregation that pierces the atmosphere.
Thankfully, there are also moments of pure comedy to lighten the mood. Someone nicks Durst's shoelaces when he's crowd surfing, forcing him to go barefoot and when he invites four kids onstage, one of them remains practically motionless throughout. Trust us, you'd have paid good money to see Durst doing his dancing-on-hot-coals routine alongside a quartet of kids - all the same height as him - trying to copy his every move. 'Jackass' eat your heart out.
If it wasn't for the fact that Durst is possibly on the verge of rescuing Limp Bizkit's career, then tonight would have been a disaster. As it is, the signs are that they've hit rock bottom and are bouncing right back into your face. And that could be as much down to Durst's persistence as to the timely arrival of Borland's replacement, Mike Smith.
What better way to distance yourself from nu metal than recruit a guitarist who's contrary to the clichéd norm? He's scrawny, dresses in tight black attire, is clean-shaven and looks like a garage band wannabe. The clincher though is Smith's style - raw and powerful with a touch of classic rock and moody atmospherics amongst the brute force. Witness the new track 'Under The Gun' that subtly shimmers like Tool and The Who cover, 'Behind Blue Eyes', which glints like Guns N'Roses ballads once did.
Of course Limp Bizkit are still about the sheer rock spectacle. They've lost none of the force they once solely relied on, generated by Durst's limitless aggression and a truckload of power chords. 'Full Nelson' and 'Eat You Alive' are utterly brutal, while 'Nookie' and 'Break Stuff' are suitably fierce.
By the time synchronized fireworks explode at the end of monstrous versions of 'Take A Look Around' and finale 'Faith', Limp Bizkit have proved they are still a live force to be reckoned with. The disappointing news for those poised to pen their obituary is that there were no mass protests and they weren't bottled off. The end result is in the balance but tonight's show might just have swung things their way.
