Soggy Vans, smeared mascara and kohl - Deftones thrill with set of classics at historic Piece Hall

Yahoo

25-06-2025

As the polyphonic opening bars of Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) fill the air there is a split second of silence before Chino Moreno leaps forth to an explosion of sound.
Deftones have arrived.
Their spectacular show at Halifax's historic Piece Hall on Tuesday night is one of only three UK appearances - their first gigs here for three-years. But it is well worth the wait.
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After kicking off with a classic, the Sacramento rockers roll into the moody, gnarly groove of My Own Summer causing a mass singalong of 'shove it' as the anthemic chorus hits.
They keep the energy high during a relentlessly thrilling set of classics from their incredible 30-year back catalogue, pounding through Diamond Eyes, You've Seen The Butcher, Around The Fur and Rosemary.
It's probably the encore of Minerva, Bored and 7 Words that hold the most power over the crowd of superfans.
But for me, it's the classics from White Pony - an album that marked 25 years this month - that hit hardest.
The gnarly opening chords and driving drums of Feiticeira sound phenomenal in the open-air courtyard as the heavens open and the clouds collide.
While the sensual, stirring Digital Bath sounds brooding and dramatic in the night air.
White Pony burst forth at a time when Nu Metal ruled the airwaves. And though Deftones most famous song, Back to School bore all the hallmarks of a Nu Metal hit, that single version of a far more textured album track never truly represented their sound.
There's a reason this studied, experimental band has survived long after the peers that populated the alternative landscape of the early 2000s.
Their moody, layered soundscapes combine elements of shoegaze, punk and triphop. Often cited as the Radiohead of the metal scene, they have always expanded their music with samples. As such, keyboardist and turntablist Frank Delgado brings texture and complexity during a set that showcases the band's range.
But Deftones are predominantly a metal act. So much is owed to the power and anger of Abe Cunningham's distinctive drumming, with his crisp snares and complex time signatures driving the sound.
Guitarist Stephen Carpenter is as unshowy as ever. He calmly stands stock still for 90 minutes throwing out incredible riffs, chuggy chords and deceptively complex compositions.
But it's Moreno's mercurial tenor - both thrusting and vulnerable - and his distinctive scream that truly elevate Deftones.
The frontman spits, snarls and growls out his angsty, cerebral lyrics while rampaging across the stage and leaping off monitors and amps. And his signature Spongebob-style tube socks are of course shown off at every opportunity.
From the second Deftones hit the stage, they are greeted by torrential rain. But it matters little to the 6,000 metalheads who dance, jump and throng in the pit.
Those sensible enough to bring an anorak let loose among the melange of soggy Vans, smeared mascara and kohl.
This is a glorious show of cinematic, anthemic metal hits. Please don't leave it another three years before visiting us again, lads.
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
My Own Summer (Shove It)
Diamond Eyes
Tempest
Swerve City
Feiticeira
Digital Bath
You've Seen The Butcher
Rocket Skates
Sextape
Around The Fur
Headup
Rosemary
Hole in the Earth
Change (In the House of Flies)
Genesis
Minerva
Bored
7 Words