While music sales have taken a dive southward recently, the lure of catching a performer in concert remains strong. This is particularly true if the artist in question plays loud, brash rock with youthful energy. Such is the case with The Deftones, which will make an appearance at Soma on Sunday, Nov. 12.
Touring behind their recently released album, Saturday Night Wrist, the band is hitting the road amidst aftershocks of the downloading revolution. It’s a point brought home by the now-defunct Tower Records store down the street from the concert venue “” yet another victim of the digital age. Upon release of The Deftones’ self-titled disc in 2003, Tower was festooned with promotional materials championing the band.
This time around, the building is covered with “going out of business” signs.
The Deftones, featuring Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephan Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), Chi Cheng (bass) and Frank Delgado (turntables/keyboards) got their start in the early ’90s as part of the then burgeoning Sacramento metal scene. Quickly tagged as part of the ‘Nu-Metal movement,’ the band scored a record deal with Maverick Records in 1994, releasing their debut, Adrenaline, the following year. The disc failed to make an impact, but the follow up “”1997’s Fur “”landed #29 on trade publication Billboard’s sales charts.
Each successive album, barring a rarities compilation issued as a stopgap between releases, has been a top-three hit record. Though it’s too early to tell how the new disc will fare this time out, The Deftones appear to be one of the few bands to emerge from the ‘Nu-Metal scene’ with reputation and audience intact.
It’s likely that the group’s longevity can be attributed to their experimentation with sound as well as an impressive knack for writing melodic, hard-edged rock. While the albums stick to the band’s own music, The Deftones’ love of song hooks is evident in the material they have covered on tribute albums and single b-sides. Tunes from artists as diverse as Depeche Mode, Sade, Duran Duran and even ’50s era instrumentalists Santo & Johnny have turned up on various releases.
This is not a band that’s afraid to take chances. Despite a lot being made in official bios of the band’s connection to fellow Nu-Metallers Korn, perhaps the biggest influence audible in much of their music is more understated. As unlikely as it may seem, listening to classic Deftones cuts such as their own “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” reveals that there are echoes of alternative rockers The Pixies, increasing melody through a combination of vocal shouts and distorted guitar riffs.
The jury may still be out on the group’s new release, but from a live stand point, it’s clear that time has done little to diminish The Deftones’ impact. Over the years, the band has increased the amount of time spent on solo projects, with groups such as Moreno’s Team Sleep and Carpenter’s Kush the result. Moreno has been the busiest, and has teamed up with Cypress Hill, Tommy Lee and Korn, but for now the focus of everyone in the band is squarely on the home group.
Soma’s event will likely sell out, with space near the front of the stage at a premium and the merch table doing brisk business. After more than a decade of traversing the country’s highways on a never-ending tour, the band has built a loyal and boisterous following that appears to be immune from fads, radio changes and diminishing returns from recordings.
If you are looking for a high-energy night out with one of the best rock bands to emerge from the 1990s, The Deftones show will be the only game in town.
For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call (619) 226-7662.
