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
