Mike Shinoda, the band’s co-founder, rapper, and producer, took some time Wednesday night to greet and introduce himself to the sold-out and boisterously enthusiastic audience at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum after hammering out the first three powerful songs in Linkin Park’s brand-new musical chapter.

“Seeing you again is genuinely amazing. Shinoda formally launched the From Zero World Tour, the Grammy-winning nu metal band’s first after the loss of powerhouse frontman Chester Bennington in 2017. “I just want to say this is the first show of our tour,” she stated.

“Have you met our friend, Emily, yet?” Shinoda inquired.

Emily Armstrong, who was announced as Linkin Park’s new co-lead singer just six days earlier on September 5 along with the band’s six-date international tour (which will stop in New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota, Colombia) and the anticipated release of their eighth album, “From Zero” (which is due out on November 15), had undoubtedly been introduced to the boisterous Forum crowd.

From the appropriately named first song, “Somewhere I Belong,” from the original Linkin Park hits “Crawling” and “Lying from You,” Armstrong, co-founder of the alternative rock band Dead Sara, immediately made an impression with her fierce vocals, brave stage presence, and black booted-stage strut.

Nevertheless, Shinoda’s introduction made it apparent that everyone in the audience was thinking about Bennington.

“You already know that you guys are singing for Chester tonight, right?” Shinoda said before starting a “Points of Authority” crowd sing-along.

Armstrong raised her microphone aloft as she announced the band’s recently released new single, “The Emptiness Machine,” encouraging the audience to join in on the new lyrics. When Armstrong sang “Burn It Down,” she grinned as though she had been singing the 2012 song for ages.

“How you feeling, Em?” Shinoda inquired after Armstrong collapsed to her knees while singing “Waiting for the End.” She replied with two unprintable words, including “great.” After a passionate performance of “Friendly Fire,” Armstrong smiled and puckered, “That was fun.”

A little too excitedly, the singer cursed when the audience erupted in applause for Linkin Park’s latest rendition of “Numb.”

“Emily, there are children,” Shinoda remarked in jest from the platform.

Armstrong said, “I’m so sorry,” but he also added, “Not sorry.”

Armstrong has been quietly working and recording with the band, and Shinoda did apologize to the audience for the delayed presentation. “Sorry to keep this secret,” he remarked.

Armstrong continued, “It was hard,” referring to the period when her presence was concealed. “That was the hardest thing.”

Shinoda remarked, “But we are so (expletive) back,”