The meteoric rise of the Sacramento based rock outfit needs to be studied. They have always been a band who have consistently released music of the highest quality which has crossed genres and as a result garnered a fan base; some of which have been there from those early nu-metal days to more recent years where they were oft cited as being the “Metal Radiohead”. It’s however been in the last couple of years where that fanbase has appeared to travel across generations and with their latest critically acclaimed album “private music”, they feel as vital and as relevant as they have always been. The several thousand in Cardiff tonight are those lucky few here were quick on the draw and able to get their hands on tickets for a tour which sold out in no time at all.
If you want a show to be kicked off in the right way and set the tone for the rest of the evening, then you can’t go wrong with their iconic hit “Be Quiet And Drive Away”. From the off Chino is bouncing on stage with that youthful exuberance and doesn’t let up the rest of the night. Leading straight into the next song, “locked club” which straddles that tightrope energy which makes the band so exciting. The way it feels as though it could just explode at any moment is one of those main reasons that people keep coming back to them after so many years.
The one-two hit of “Rocket Skates” and “Diamond Eyes” are perfect examples of keeping that energy going, with the earlier and its riff coming at you with force and the latter’s heavy tones with its final breakdown generating movement within the pits. The likes of “Digital Bath” still sound extremely clean and really get to showcase the gentler side of Moreno’s vocals. Surprisingly, the biggest reaction of the night comes in the form of “Sextape” which sees the newfound Tiktok crowd in particular, arms aloft and phones in the air trying to capture every special moment.
Words cannot really describe the flow state which is achieve when you listen to their music. The closest you can probably say is that it’s distinctively “Deftones” and that pioneered signature they create feels like no other band out there. Many have tried to emulate it since but none have been able to capture it fully. It’s personified in the likes of the glorious “Swerve City” which has that magic blend of making you want dance around but then throw yourself into a sweaty pit. The chants from the crowd of “Chino, Chino” are ever present almost after every song and the gratitude does not go unnoticed from their rockstar hero.
Whilst some bands at this stage in their career, might just nestle back on nostalgia and simply play all of their “hits”, we get a very big chunk of songs from their most recent record and for good reason; they perfectly encapsulate everything they’ve done over the years. Album highlight “milk of the madonna” hits in all the right places with that bouncy groove in its chorus which feels like a whole cavalry is running at you full speed. “infinite source” on the flipside feels transcendent in its delivery and from the reaction of the crowd tonight, you can tell it is already going to be a classic within their already extensive catalogue.
We do still get those old school hits and hearing that snare beat before that iconic “My Own Summer” riff still never gets old and as soon as those guitars come in the whole arena is moving. There’s not a person in the room who would argue this isn’t a seminal song in their lives and they certainly show their appreciation for it. Almost three decades old and it still feels incredibly fresh. The “elder emos” in the crowd get their chance to dance and move they do during set closer “7 Words”. The pits open up all around the arena and we get to see Moreno spit out his lines for the final time. “You don’t know me, shut up, you don’t know me” is shouted right back at them along with the chanting during the chorus. For a moment we are transported back to the 90’s again and all those other worries you may have are just gone.
For just a couple of hours the fans are able to feel and be the coolest versions of themselves. It all feels so effortless in the best possible way. Whether you’re a hot sweaty mess, shirt drenched from the pit, or chilling with a drink near the bar, they are the band for everybody. Young, old, rocker or not and that is something which needs to be celebrated.