Deftones

Dia De Los Deftones 11/3/18

I did not think I would be attending the first annual Dia De Los Deftones since tickets were $80, the only band on the bill I actually cared about was Deftones and I had just seen them three weeks earlier in Sacramento. Larry was trying to get me to buy one of the four tickets he purchased but I just could not justify the $80 even though it was a rare Saturday concert.

As the day wore on I learned that Bob was also going and I decided to try to snag a last minute discounted ticket online. StubHub and Craigslist both failed me but then I remembered the OfferUp app. The concert started at three o’clock and by this time it was about seven and there were only two posts still up and they were both trying to sell the print-at-home style tickets. I do not trust this type of ticket since someone can just print multiple copies of the same ticket but I rationed that OfferUp is a little more upscale than Craigslist with seller ratings and whatnot. I offered $20 and the seller agreed…but I had to go pick it up. This was a red flag of sorts because if it was a printout of a digital ticket then why could it not be emailed to me? The meeting spot was close enough so I figured what the hell? After having to do multiple transactions at the 7/11 to get the $20 cash I needed ($10 is the maximum cash out per transaction) I made my way to a sketchy neighborhood to meet a complete stranger. Instead of “Veronica” I was met by a small statured man who asked me if I wanted both tickets that he had for $20. This put my mind at ease that he was not trying to rip me off but you never know. I hightailed it home, ate a couple gummies and jumped into a Lyft to make my way downtown.

When I arrived I immediately purchased a beer and tried to find my friends. The stage setup was very different than past shows I had seen at Petco Park. A stage was set up outside of the stadium proper in the little kids practice field/”lawn” seats which made for a very small crowd. Now it made sense why there were not very many tickets available. Either way I found the guys immediately and had enough time to shoot the shit and grab another beer before Deftones came on and come on did they ever!

They opened with “Root” and then just kept the pedal to the floor with a blistering setlist choice and equally fierce performance. We had a perfect vantage point of the stage and enough room to move around without being sardined by other people. Stephen Carpenter was embracing the Dia De Los Muertos theme with the face makeup and a glow in the dark guitar. Even though my neck and shoulders were super sore due to my thrashing around I am so glad I came because Deftones kicked my ass and I may or may not have been a little fuzzy when I saw them in Sacramento…

SETLIST: Root, Teething, Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), My Own Summer (Shove It), Rosemary, Swerve City, You’ve Seen the Butcher, Diamond Eyes, Sextape, Knife Prty, Change (In the House of Flies), Rocket Skates, Minerva, Bored, Engine No. 9, Headup

*Quality photos credited to Alex Matthews

Aftershock 10/13/18

So we had taken a couple years off since our last Aftershock but it was time to get the band back together…with the exceptions of Joe and Marvin. Joe just flat out said he was not going to make it but Marvin, being the sneaky fuck that he is sometimes known to be, kept us hanging. We decided that two days of nonstop drinking would be enough for us so instead of showing up early Bob and I booked a flight leaving San Diego at 6:20 am the day of, which means we had to be heading towards the airport by 5. I thought Bob was joking about having a beer once he parked at my place at 4:30 but apparently he was not…

Fast-forward a couple hours after having breakfast at our hotel and stocking up on beer at the Total Wine down the street we were now awaiting Ken’s arrival. Marvin finally text us that he was not going to make it but I thought him and Ken were in cahoots due to some very suspicious text messages. It turns out they were not, so after a little more drinking all three of us hopped into a Lyft and headed for the show.

This year’s Aftershock was moved back to Discovery Park where we attended our first Aftershock (it was at Gibson Ranch the last time we went). The layout was a little more spacious from that first time, which was a good thing because apparently this was the first time that Aftershock ever sold out.

We showed up in time to catch Hyro the Hero, which reminded me an awful lot of Rage Against the Machine and I do not mean that in a bad way. It was about 80 degrees outside in direct sunlight but it was worth enduring.

Hyro

What I really wanted to see was the Vinnie Paul All Star Tribute. Hellyeah was supposed to play Aftershock but decided not to after Vinnie Paul unexpectedly passed away on June 22nd. SiriusXM deejay Jose Mangin helped organize a performance anchored by Vinnie’s ex-Hellyeah bandmate Kyle Sanders on the bass and Pepe Clarke of Kyng on the drums. Other than that it was a rotating cast of characters that started off the fun with Damage Plan’s “Save Me,” followed by Pantera’s “Becoming” with Stephen Carpenter, “Mouth For War” with members of Gwar, “A New Level” with the freshly shave-headed Jose Mangin on vocals and “Walk” featuring Jonathan Davis and Sully. The thrill of seeing these songs again in a live setting was oh so badass and I am pretty sure this is what all but blew my voice out for the next several days.

To be completely honest this is where things started to get a little fuzzy. After getting some food together we of course all got separated from each other. I remember being completely confused watching Jonathan Davis because I thought he was going to do a DJ set but instead had a full on band with a bass player that was getting after it. I later found out he had released a solo album at the end of May called Black Labyrinth.

The next three bands were all welcome sights and sounds but nothing in particular stuck out about any of the performances (probably because I was a drunk ass). The first of these was 311, who had released two new albums, Stereolithic and Mosaic, since I had last seen them five years prior. The next was Godsmack who were touring for When Legends Rise that was just released back in April and the last of the evening was Deftones, whose newest release was still Gore that was released back in 2016 but I hadn’t seen them since the last Aftershock I attended in 2015.

The night was far from over after the last notes rang from the Deftones amps as my phone battery had died and therefore I had no way to get back to our hotel that was about 10 miles away. I anticipated a dead battery so I brought an external charger but what I did not anticipate was losing the cord that connected the external charger to my phone! After awhile I found a couple that reluctantly let me use their cord just long enough to get my phone powered on to request a Lyft and get back to the hotel. Once I arrived I found Marvin sitting on the couch. I had a feeling he would make it but since he did not tell anyone he was coming he spent all day by himself and then finagled his way into our room since he did not have a key to get in. I should have went to bed at this point but I was still drunk and was not about to squander away an opportunity to drink more with one of my oldest friends.

Aftershock 10/25/15

This morning was the very definition of a value buzz. I think I drank about half a light beer before I was buzzing again. Which means it took me about another two before I was closing in on full retard…at about 8:30 am. Thank god for the motherly instincts of Marvin, who ventured out of the campground and brought back breakfast burritos for the gang. Life saver. I was right as rain after our “campsite” neighbors came over and smoked me out. From our site we could hear Faith No More doing their sound check, which was pretty awesome but they kept playing “Midlife Crisis” right up to the climax and then stopping. At least we knew they would be playing it later.

The first band I cared about today was Eagles of Death Metal. Even though I had seen them twice before, the first time was only for a partial set (see Street Scene 9/20/08) and both times were without Josh Homme behind the drum kit. Not that the music had crazy drum beats or that Homme was a virtuoso drummer, but I respect him immensely as a musician from Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures (essentially another QOTSA album with better backing musicians). They rocked and seemed like they truly enjoyed being there playing these songs for everyone.

Next up I got to see Red Fang for the first time. All it took for me to like this band was hearing the song “Wires,” which Joe turned me on to. This band was exactly what I was looking for and I was hooked after that. Rock and Roll pure and simple. Generally I prefer to see bands at their own headlining shows because they can “stretch out” and play a longer set instead of 45 minutes to an hour. One thing I do like about these festivals besides the value of so many bands for one price at one time is that the stage setup is usually stark and devoid of crazy props which allows the focus to be on power of the music. Red Fang did not need much of a production and I cannot imagine that they would have had one even if I would have seen them at a small venue by themselves.

After that was Stone Temple Pilots…sort of. It was STP but with Chester Bennington from Linkin Park singing. I LOVE Stone Temple Pilots and I like Linkin Park so I was not opposed to this arrangement but I obviously knew going in that it would not be the same as with Scott Weiland. I just looked at it like I was going to see the best STP cover band that existed. We all sang along to the songs that we loved and let a spade be a spade.

Onward to the setting sun for my third privilege of seeing Jane’s Addiction. I am not a giant Jane’s fan but they are always enjoyable to see because Perry Farrell is just the right amount of nut to make a great frontman, Dave Navarro is a guitar guru and Stephen Perkins is a monster on the drums.

Deftones played next and I must say that I think at this point I was starting to drift away to drunk island because I have no photo evidence of the show from this point on. Maybe I was just feeling it so much that I could not be bothered to distract myself from the show. I think I have seen the Deftones more than any other band (have you read the rest of the blog?) but they are always great to see. True road warriors that are no strangers to the stage. I don’t remember this set being particularly on the heavy side as far as the music was concerned. They have super heavy songs and more dreamy atmospheric-type songs and I feel like they leaned more towards the latter.

Faith No More closed out the entire festival and were the band I most looked forward to on this day. I had just seen them for the first time back in April and since then had only fallen more in love with the album Sol Invictus. The song “Sunny Side Up” had become sort of an inside joke between Joe and I and we could not stop singing that shit to each other the whole trip. The stage setup and set list were pretty darn identical to the time we saw them in April but the new songs were much more familiar at this point. I wish they would have played “Cone of Shame” or “Last Cup of Sorrow” but like the Rolling Stones said you can’t always get what you want. The song “Epic” still holds up and somehow sounds even more fierce after all these times the band has been forced to play it. There was also a pretty funny moment after they played “Midlife Crisis” when they broke into the song “End of the Road” by Boyz 2 Men. Funny Fuckers.

Epicenter 9/22/12

What started in 2009 became “Southern California’s Rock Festival” that took place annually at various venues around Los Angeles. I had not attended since that inaugural date but this year’s lineup piqued my interest because it had been four to five years since I had seen Scars on Broadway, Deftones and Stone Temple Pilots. As far as I’m concerned the other bands were a nice bonus. Bob drove Tom and I up to Irvine with just enough time to make a beer run, check into our hotel and get over to the Irvine Amphitheater. The trouble began with a toothache that turned our beer run into a beer and whiskey run. My tooth had been bothering me for a couple days but I did not have time to go to the dentist so I figured whiskey would act as a redneck remedy. Unfortunately for anyone in my path it also acted as a gateway to a very intoxicated me.

I remember wandering around the grounds and seeing a little bit of bands on the second stage like Hollywood Undead but Dead Sara was the first band we really gave any shits about. It had been five months since we saw them open for Chevelle and blow them off the stage, which was just a couple weeks removed from the release of their self-titled debut album. They put on a hell of a show this time too but the music just did not seem to translate as well to a bigger stage.

Chevelle made good on the opportunity at redemption by cranking it up to the level of performance we had come to expect over the years. It was weird to see them play in the daylight again since we had grown accustomed to the headlining shows.

Four years had elapsed since I was introduced to Scars on Broadway right here at this very same venue during the KROQ Weenie Roast. It was fun the way it went down that original time but now I had a solid four years of digesting the eponymous album, which made this show so much more fun to watch. Thanks to YouTuber “Gun Dink” you can also watch:

Bush was up next. It had been almost a year to the day since we had last seen them open for Chevelle. It was essentially the same show as that occasion with Gavin coming out through the crowd again.

I had not gotten the chance to see any songs from the excellent Diamond Eyes album performed since my last Deftones concert was about five years before this so I was beyond elated when they started their set with my two favorite songs off the album. They were still a couple months away from releasing Koi No Yokan but they still played two songs from the album. Deftones rocked but it must be said that right about this time I was getting really ornery and ended up breaking the seat in front of me if that is any indication of what planet I was on. I also found a number of shitty 5-10 second videos on my phone afterwards of really good shots of the ground and pretty much anything but the stage with me screaming along for audio.

SETLIST: Rocket Skates, Diamond Eyes, Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), My Own Summer (Shove It), Digital Bath, You’ve Seen the Butcher, Bloody Cape, Leathers, Rosemary, Change (In the House of Flies), 7 Words

STP had released their eponymous album since I had last seen them about four years before this so I excited to see them again. I was pretty lit for their performance but do remember Scott Weiland was a dancing machine and seemed to be very present for this performance as he provided a lot of banter in between songs. I also remember that Dean’s guitar playing was on fire. We did not know it at the time but sadly this would be the last time we would see Scott Weiland front Stone Temple Pilots as the very next night would be his final performance ever with the band.

SETLIST: Crackerman, Vaseline, Hickory Dichotomy, Meatplow, Big Empty, Between the Lines, Interstate Love Song, Plush, Tumble in the Rough, Big Bang Baby, Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart, Unglued, Sex Type Thing

After the show we took a bus to our hotel and I almost immediately got kicked out of our hotel bar because I basically fell forward into the bar. This lead to all three of us smoking weed in Bob’s car in the parking lot. Neither Tom nor Bob ever smoke weed so that was a fitting end to such an eventful day.

Deftones 6/27/07

If you’re keeping track this was my 10^th time seeing Deftones but my first since they released their fifth album Saturday Night Wrist the prior Halloween. This was also my first concert at Viejas, a casino out in East County San Diego. The casino has an outlet mall on their property, presumably to take the money that people won in the casino right back from them. It is here in a relatively small lawn area that a stage was constructed to house this concert. Their set was a nice ebb and flow of heavy/soft dynamics mixed from all albums. I was especially happy they played one of my favorite songs from the new album, “Beware” and one of my favorite songs from the previous album, “Needles and Pins.” Never gets old.

Terrible footage of “Hole in the Earth” – The first iPhone was released 2 days after this show…

SETLIST: Passenger, My Own Summer (Shove It), Ihabia, Beware, Root, Nosebleed, Around the Fur, Rickets, Head Up, Knife Party, Digital Bath, Bored, Engine No. 9, Needles and Pins, Hole in the Earth, Xerces, Rats! Rats! Rats!, Cherry Waves, Change (In the House of Flies), Back to School, 7 Words

Deftones 10/1/04

This was right about the time my relationship with the girlfriend I moved to San Diego with started to crumble. Our relationship was just not strong enough to survive Southern California. I will take the blame. I had been with her for about four and a half years and simply was not ready to take it to the next level, which she wanted and deserved.

I could not convince anyone to go with me so I flew solo downtown to another legendary small venue. James Brown always liked to play 4th & B when he was in town. I did not have a ticket but if there is one thing I have learned in life it is money talks. If you are a scalper then you either sell your tickets way beforehand or you take what you can get when the show begins or risk getting nothing at all. I hit up the ATM a block away and just took out $20, thinking I just would not go if I could not get a ticket for $20. Right as I walked up to the corner I saw my target and Deftones had just begun to play their first song. I said “I have $20, take it or leave it.” He took it. This intimate show had a ton of energy and Deftones were on point. They played almost all of Adrenaline, some songs from Around the Fur, a few from White Pony and a few new ones. The crowd was into it and the band clearly was as well.

Deftones 10/24/03

This was my eighth time seeing Deftones but first time since the release of their self-titled album that had come out in May of this year. I think they toured every day of the year and just kept coming back to the Pacific Northwest because they ran out of places to play otherwise…I believe this was also only my second time to the famed Paramount Theatre, a fantastic intimate venue in the heart of Seattle. Lucinda and I drove up to meet Marvin and somehow missed Clutch opening up the show. I had seen them twice before so I got over it, especially since Deftones ended up playing for a solid two hours. We had seats on the balcony, which meant we left the show dry unlike all the people down in the pit (not that it mattered because I am sure it was raining in Seattle). I was a little jealous of the people below because the selection of songs made me want to move more than I was able to with a seat behind me. I remember when they came back out for the “encore” Chino commented how they had made the album Adrenaline down the street and then they proceeded to tear through nearly the whole damn thing. Overall one of the more polished times I have seen Deftones.

SETLIST: Minerva, Bloody Cape, Be Quiet and Drive, MX, My Own Summer (Shove It), Feiticeira, Bored, Needles and Pins, Korea, Digital Bath, Battle-Axe, Mascara, Around the Fur, Hexagram, Headup, Change (In the House of Flies), 7 Words, Fireal, Engine No. 9, Nosebleed, Root, Lifter, Minus Blindfold, Knife Party

Rockfest 7/14/01

This year saw Rockfest move from the Portland Meadows to Columbia Meadows in St. Helens, OR. While I was happy to not have to blow dirt out of my nose for three consecutive days, it was about a 45-minute drive from Portland. It was worth it, and besides that gave us plenty of time to smoke out in the car. It was Lucinda, Roscoe and I. I really went for the three bands listed on the ticket but there were a few other notables. Puddle of Mudd was there and about a month and a half from releasing Come Clean, the album that rocketed them to stardom. The thing about seeing bands before they become famous is that they are putting 100% into their set, still trying to prove themselves. After them was Saliva. Not a fan but they were also just getting popular because of the single “Your Disease” off the album Every 6 Seconds that had been released about three and half months earlier. Next up was System of a Down. This was the second and one of the best times I ever saw them. They were about a month and a half from releasing Toxicity. Daron Malakian was crazy the whole time. I know they played “Prison Song.” The fact is that they blew everyone off the stage that day. There was a huge pit that opened up in front of the stage and it didn’t let up until they went off stage. This turned out to be a huge advantage for Lucinda because we were at the back rim of the pit, which allowed her to see the stage perfectly. On to my seventh Deftones sighting! They had quite the challenge of following System but pulled it off. They were still touring for White Pony and I remember Chino had a Mexican flag draped over his half stack. This set was more stripped down than the previous time I had seen them. They lost the frills and just put the pedal to the metal. Godsmack closed the show. This was the third time I saw them but the first time since they had released their second album Awake. They played most of the album with the highlight for me being the song “Mistakes.” It was pretty epic the way they played it with all the little breakdowns in between the heaviness.

Deftones 10/15/00

Alright, so at this point I know it’s starting to look like I’m obsessed with Deftones. This was already the sixth time I had seen them and had just seen them about two months prior, as well as just seeing Taproot and Incubus at Ozzfest. It seemed like a good deal plus something to do because Portland can be pretty drab most of the time due to the rain. Besides, going to concerts is something that gives me great pleasure in this life. This also gives you an idea of how much devotion these bands put into touring. I believe it was just Lucinda and I this time. I don’t really have much to say about the show itself except every band rocked. I brought a stick of cookies n’ cream incense with me into the show because I thought it would be novel but in reality the ashes kept falling all over everyone and those that were in direct line of the smoke got a very concentrated whiff. This was also the most elaborate stage show I have ever seen Deftones put on. They actually had lights, etc. instead of just a bare bones stage with them rocking out. “Dai the Flu” is one of my favorite songs from Around the Fur and after all the times I’ve seen them this remains the only time I have ever seen it played live.

SETLIST: Korea, Feiticeira, Change, Root, Lifter, My Own Summer, Dai the Flu, Mascara, Back to School, Digital Bath, Teenager, Around the Fur, Headup, Be Quiet and Drive, Birthmark, 7 Words

Big Stink 5 8/6/00

I’m pretty sure it was just Lucinda and I that attended this one. This wasn’t the greatest of lineups for me but there were enough bands to spark my interest. Jimmie’s Chicken Shack was pretty good for the second time seeing them. 3 Doors Down was reeling from their hit “Superman” and save for that song were pretty disappointing. I remember at one point the power flickered and they had to start whatever song they were playing over again. Papa Roach was definitely the surprise of the day. I’m not that big of a fan but the guitar player won me over with his amazing playing. Just like the previous concert I was really here to see just one band, Deftones. This was the fifth time seeing them but this was special because they had just released White Pony less than 2 months before this show and consequently played a number of songs from the album. I believe this was the first show I ever saw Chino strap on a guitar. I remember it was during “Change (In The House Of Flies)” and he had a beautiful natural brown colored Gibson SG. Besides that they just flat out rocked and I didn’t leave the show unsatisfied. Thankfully this was the last time I ever saw a concert at the Portland Meadows. It probably took a good two or three days to blow all the dust out of my nose!

Rock N Roll Recollections

Fuzzy recollections of bands that rocked my world