Watch: Linkin Park’s Emily Armstrong wears Assamese Gamusa during band’s India debut. Internet reacts

American rock band Linkin Park finally made their much-awaited India debut on Friday, performing before nearly 40,000 fans at Brigade Innovation Gardens in Bengaluru. The concert marked the band’s first-ever performance in the country and was part of their ongoing From Zero World Tour.

One moment from the show quickly went viral online. During the performance, the band’s new lead vocalist Emily Armstrong was seen wearing an Assamese gamusa — a traditional handwoven cloth that symbolises respect and honour in Assam. Videos of the moment, captured while she performed the 2003 hit Faint, were widely shared across social media platforms.

The song was originally sung by late frontman Chester Bennington, and Armstrong’s performance, paired with the cultural gesture, struck a chord with audiences both at the venue and online. Some viewers initially mistook the gamusa for a ghunghat, prompting users to clarify its cultural significance in the comments.

“That’s a gamusa, not a ghunghat. It’s a traditional Assamese cloth given as a mark of respect,” one user wrote, adding that it may have been gifted to the singer by someone from the Northeast.

Another user wrote, "Attending the concert and not accepting the new chapter of the band, I guess it is a case of “Two faced caught in the middle”.

Check out the viral video here:

Fans largely welcomed the gesture, praising the band for acknowledging local culture during their first show in India. Armstrong’s performance also received positive feedback, with many concertgoers applauding her stage presence and vocals, even as they acknowledged the legacy of Bennington.

In another moment that delighted the crowd, Armstrong was also seen wearing an Indian cricket team jersey during part of the concert. Both instances were widely shared online, with fans calling them thoughtful efforts to connect with Indian audiences.

The band, too, appeared moved by the response. Addressing the crowd, co-founder Mike Shinoda said they had waited years to perform in India and praised Bengaluru for its energy, drawing loud cheers from the audience.

The setlist blended nostalgia with newer material, with songs such as Somewhere I Belong, Numb, In the End and Bleed It Out prompting mass singalongs. For many Indian fans, the concert marked a long-awaited milestone after nearly three decades of following the band.

Following the Bengaluru show, Linkin Park is set to headline Lollapalooza India 2026 in Mumbai on 25 January. The band reunited in 2024 with Armstrong as lead vocalist, several years after Bennington’s death in 2017.