Deftones experience

February 12, 2011

I know it's a bit too late but hey, better late than never.

I bought my VIP ticket 2-3 months before the concert. Talk about excited?

To be honest, one of my heads up was wanting to hear songs from their new album, "Diamond Eyes" which was my new favorite record followed by "White Pony". Although I loved their old ones, I instantly fell lyrically in love with the new record upon hearing it for the first time. Thus, topping my favorite Deftones album.

I love concerts. There's always that adrenaline feeling that I look forward to. If I could go to concerts for a living, I would do it. Haha

I talked my Sister into accompanying me knowing the fact that she knows nothing about the band. She accepted the offer and much to my surprise, she actually had fun.

Front acts were Slapshock...who were really good. I just wish they would ditch the themed Dickies outfits. But music-wise, no complains. And I kinda looked forward in seeing my crush, Chi Evora (drummer). Ha!

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Jamir Garcia of Slapshock
(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

...and Urbandub, who were the usual spot-on performers. They started a song with a technical difficulty ruining that hard intro. Hahaha! But they were really professional and chatted with the audience while things were being fixed. They played two more additional songs for their set for some reason regarding Chino and the others.

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Gabby Alipe of Urbandub
(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

After a couple of songs, people chanting, and a LOT of waiting, out comes Abe, Stephen, Frank, Sergio (filling in for a very ill Chi Cheng) then a very ecstatic bouncing Chino starting the show with "Birthmark".

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Chino Moreno
(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

Next song was "Engine No. 9", then a very jumpy "Be Quiet And Drive"

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Chino Moreno
(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

Forgive my oily face. It's hard to stay fresh and dry in a swarm of wild, screaming, sweaty fans you know. Hahaha

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Abe Cunningham
(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

Next songs were "My Own Summer (Shove It)", "Lhabia", Abe Cunningham started a hard hit of the bass drum, we all knew what song was next. "Around The Fur" it is. I remembered singing my lungs out to that song. One of my favorites.

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Chino Moreno and Stephen Carpenter

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

I'm just gonna skip to my favorite songs...

Again, Abe starts it off with a powerful hit on that bass drum. And we all knew what song was going to be played at that first beat..."Digital Bath"! We were screaming even before Chino sang the first word.

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Stephen Carpenter

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

"Royal" was one of my favorite tracks off the new record. I literally screamed all the words until I got sore.

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Sergio Vega

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

Songs from the new album were played next "Sextape", "Rocket Skates", "You've Seen The Butcher", and "Beauty School". "Sextape" was one of the songs I was excited to hear, I got hooked to it the first time I heard it. And so did everyone else. Chino went really close to the right side of the VIP section during "You've Seen The Butcher", giving the VIP people a worth it buy for that wallet piercing price of the VIP ticket. Haha

Now, Chino did not make it unfair for the left side of the VIP section. During "Passenger", he again went really close to the audience. He even took a hat of some guy while singing a verse, he tries to give it back to the owner before returning to the stage but another guy grabs it. Chino asks the guy to hand it to him so that he could return it to the original owner. Beat that!

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Chino Moreno

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

Now for the best part, during their last song "7 Words", Chino made sure to interact with every section in the audience. He ran towards the silver section and hung in one of the steel bars, and continued singing.

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

I waited for him to go back the stage, touched his sweat, and grabbed his chain necklace (thinking I could rip it off his neck. Guess not...I just mini choked him. Sorry, Chino)

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Chino Moreno

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

After a long set of 25 songs, they finally wrapped it up.

DEFTONES Diamond Eyes Tour 2011: Chino Moreno

(Photo by: Beverly Kho)

Setlist:

Birthmark

Engine No. 9

Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)

My Own Summer (Shove It)

Lhabia

Around The Fur

Digital Bath

Knife Party

Hexagram

Minerva

Bloody Cape

Diamond Eyes

CMND/CTRL

Royal

Sextape

Rocket Skates

You've Seen the Butcher

Beauty School

Hole in the Earth

Kimdracula

Back To School

Change (In the House of Flies)

Passenger

Encore:

Root

7 Words

Oh and here's two people fighting over Abe's drumstick! Hahaha.

I was close to settling the fight by just grabbing it and running away but I remembered that running isn't really my forte and I would be caught then doomed. So I ditched the idea.

Click HERE for more photos!

Videos to follow!

▲V