Linkin Park tour maps ‘A Thousand Suns’ dates for North America

After spending some time away from the national tour circuit, Linkin Park will return in early 2011 with the North American leg of the A Thousand Suns Tour. The 21-date itinerary opens January 20 at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, and concludes a month later on February 26 at Pepsi Center in Denver, CO.

Along the way, Linkin Park will play January 26 at the United Center in Chicago, IL; February 1 at TD Garden in Boston, MA; February 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY; February 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV; and February 23 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

The band is booked for just two shows north of the border — both in the eastern provinces. Those Canadian market gigs are lined up on February 7 at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC, and February 8 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON.

The majority of public onsales begin this Saturday, November 20, with some exceptions. Ticket sales in Kansas City launch a day earlier on November 19, while Las Vegas ticket sales kick off later on December 11, along with other select markets.

Regular ticket prices start at or just below the $40 mark and range up to the ballpark of $70, based on current Ticketmaster.com listings. More details about the tour, presales and public onsales are available on the band’s official Web site.

Linkin Park has pegged Pendulum and Does It Offend You, Yeah? as the tour’s openers through their February 11 show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The Prodigy take over supporting duties on February 15 at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX, and stay on through the end of the tour.

The alternative rock group is promoting its fourth studio album, “A Thousand Suns,” which was released September 8 and debuted atop the Billboard 200. The effort’s tour launched in South America earlier this year before continuing on to Europe and Asia. The trek contains one more international leg this year with an eight-date Australian trek in early December.

“At this point we’re writing such great music that I almost want to go do 50 shows around the world and then get right back into making another record,” lead singer Chester Bennington said in an October interview with Rolling Stone. “Once the ball starts rolling, it’s all I want. It’s like a drug.”

Linkin Park itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)