Deftones
Wednesday, Aug. 26
Shoreline Amphitheatre
Backstage at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, the Deftones were being hurried to get through their sound check and, inevitably, let the stage crew set up the openers before showtime.
“7 minutes,” shouted one of the crew members, which served as a stark reminder of just how time-sensitive Live Nation shows of this size are. With nary a person in the amphitheatre — sans a couple of buddies taking pics for their own social media purposes — it was just the band, sound men, and crew in the building (and a whole hell of a lot of sweet-smelling smoke which also blew through their set).
At the band’s catering and seated outdoor area directly behind the stage one could witness what Deftones were really about today: family.
Hard rock staples Deftones have enjoyed a long and successful run since releasing Adrenaline (1995). From coveted support slots with timeless acts to headlining venues and festivals across the globe, the group is one of the few bands that were unceremoniously categorized into the nu-metal genre when it was anything but.
Last Wednesday’s Deftones’ show was proof positive of their longevity as evidenced by the nearly sold-out crowd in attendance. This particular show, however, was unlike most other dates on their co-headlining tour with Incubus and, in many ways, a sort of homecoming. Although not the band’s original hometown of Sacramento, Mountain View served as a good halfway point between Southern California, Sacramento, and Oregon where the band members now reside (although bassist Sergio Vega still lives in Manhattan).
Most of the seats (if not all) in the band’s patio area — encircled by dressing rooms and production offices — were filled with lively conversation and most of the band members mingled and gave tours to loved ones and their guests.
Drummer Abe Cunningham smiled from ear to ear while showing off his drum kit (which he referred to as his ‘office’) to a large handful of teens (including his own) who took pictures with their phones whenever possible while getting a tour of the stage before doors opened.
And while the band still thoroughly enjoys itself on tour, the very vocal drummer said he loved being at home just as much. “I don’t like days off. I’d rather play back to back shows” said Cunningham. “We’re getting close to end of this run and it’ll be nice to be back.”
Singer Chino Moreno’s wife Risa held court with her girlfriends in one area while a bevy of dudes sat around and drank beer, listened to Delgado’s music selections, and followed up with some heftier shots of much stronger spirits next door.
Hanging out on the backstage patio, singer Chino Moreno was aglow as he held his bike. Sitting atop on the seat, his daughter Lola hi-fived me. “I love living in Oregon (speaking of his recent move),” Moreno said. “I’m away from it all there.”
During the near 23 hours the band are not playing each night, they’re either traveling, catching up on lost sleep, seeing friends from other bands in cities they met over the years, or simply hanging with other bands on the tour at the venue.
“We don’t really do that much aside from hanging at the venue” said keyboard / turntablist Frank Delgado. “We’re usually at venues like this or in the middle of nowhere and have little time to do anything. The guys shot some guns in Kansas City and Chino rides his bike, but most of us just go off and do our own thing.”
And while it was easy to lose track of time while catching up with everyone, the band has grown accustomed to their daily routine and slowly started peeling away one-by-one to change and get ready to play. With a quick nudge from Assistant Tour manager Juan Gonzalez, everyone was ushered out of the dressing rooms.
It was, after all, showtime.
Like every Live Nation show, much to the delight of anal retentive fans who like things on schedule, Deftones started their set at the scheduled time of 7:30 p.m. and exited the stage just around 8:50 p.m.
It was a solid set replete with fan favorites like “Engine #9,” Passenger,” and “Diamond Eyes” and an energy from the stage that couldn’t be matched by the night’s closer, Incubus.
“We’re old…we got kids!” Chino said to the crowd half-joking and half-serious midway through the band’s set. Just a little bit later, Lola would confirm his statement and run across the stage wearing her Stormtrooper mask much to the delight of father Moreno and company.
Who knew rock and roll could be so tame yet so cool at the same time?
Critic’s Notebook
– The amount of invited backstage guests at this show was particularly astounding. Even though standing areas onstage were clearly demarcated by fluorescent green tape, many couldn’t follow directions and made the crew’s job during the show that much harder. Deftones’ catch-all crew member Juan Gonzales spent the entire set keeping folks out of the way and, more importantly, from spilling onto the stage.
– In a conversation with drummer Abe Cunningham, it was noted the show’s opener The Bots had an ultra-brief set. “I’ve heard of 20 minute and 30 minute sets before but these guys only get 15 minutes. That’s insane. 15 minutes? Have you ever heard anything like that?” he said.
– Even the excellent staff at The Shoreline which had short shifts in concessions, security, or otherwise, were forced to park in the venue’s dirt parking lot. Only those who wished to pony up the cash for premier parking near the venue were allowed the closest spots. You would think they’d deserve some parking perks. Apparently not.
(SF Weekly)