Photos and Review by Max Stewart
Longevity in a band is a tricky thing. In nearly every case, it is difficult to maintain the momentum and sound of ‘peak’ eras of a band’s tenure (especially after 20+ years) due to members leaving, fans moving on to the shiny new artist, aging vocal sound, etc. But Sacramento’s Deftones have seemingly done the impossible. In their 37th (!) year as a band, they have achieved the rare feat of maintaining their original core fanbase while also growing to a whole new generation of fans.
The sold out crowd at Atlanta‘s State Farm Arena was made up of many Gen X / elder Millennials from the band’s early days, but there were a noticeable amount of younger fans. Not just younger fans whose dads dragged them to the show against their will, but those that clearly sought out the show and are invested in the band’s music. Sure, this meant there were a lot of phones in the air, but it was heartwarming to see a now veteran rock band resonate so deeply with a younger generation.
Opening with “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” and “My Own Summer (Shove It)” off of the seminal 1997 album Around the Fur, it was clear out of the gate that the band were in lock step and had put the work in to prep for this tour. Deftones may honestly sound the best of their career live now, with vocalist Chino Moreno maintaining the wide vocal variety from haunting, near-whisper lyrics to ferocious and graveled screams. Not only that, Moreno is clearly in fantastic shape while furiously bouncing around the middle of the stage. Original founding members Stephen Carpenter (guitar) and Abe Cunningham (drums) were also in top form throughout the night, blending seemlessly alongside Frank Delgado (keys, turntables, samples), Lance Jackman (guitar) and Frank Sablan (bass).
After newcomers Fleshwater and prog stalwarts Mars Volta opened the night with wildly different styles, it was clear the musicality of the night would be across the board. The band did a great job of sprinkling songs from all albums of their prolific career with ease. Starting with songs from 1994’s Adrenaline (“7 Words” and “Bored”), four tunes from 2008’s Diamond Eyes (“Diamond Eyes”, “Rocket Skates”, “You’ve Seen the Butcher” and the popular “Sextape”), three tunes from 2012’s Koi No Yokan (“Rosemary”, “Swerve City”, and “Tempest”), three tunes from 2000’s White Pony (“Change (in the House of Flies)”, “Digital Bath”, “Feiticeira”), and a couple from 2016’s Gore and 2020 Ohms (“Prayers/Triangles”, “Genesis”). All of the songs interblended and flowed throughout the night while unique stage visuals further elevated the experience.
Deftones are not only proving the resurgence of bands with true musicality resonating to younger generations, but they are living proof that you can actually get better with age. Catch them on the road.
