ENTERTAINMENT

Gods of rock rip through Permian Basin
by Jacqui Streety, editor-in-chief

Of all the concerts I’ve been to and of all the different bands I’ve seen, numbering well over 100), this was among the best. It up there in the ranks of System of a Down, Metallica, Lamb of God, Korn and Rob Zombie.
 

It began with a two-hour drive to Odessa and an hour-long wait in the line among the local rednecks. But once inside Dos Amigos’ backyard venue, the atmosphere changed.
 

The opening band, Drudge, wasn’t too impressive. The vocalist who looked and sounded like Ben Harper’s little brother was obviously singing the wrong genre of music. In a failed attempt at Hardcore screaming he looked ridiculous. But after an hour of that and 30 minutes of setup, the Deftones took the stage.
 

The 1500- plus crowd went into a frenzy and bum-rushed the stage. And caught up in what became an omnipresent mosh pit, I fought for survival as I headbanged my way through the songs, singing and shouting along.
 

Vocalist [and god of his genre] Chino Moreno stood over the heads of his devout disciples on what seemed like a platform over the crowd. I don’t remember what they opened with, but they played a slew of my favorite songs and followed with a string of mainstream hits from their 2000 album, “White Pony.”
 

Moreno soared across the stage in utter perfection, and then became still in the manner that has become signature to only a Deftones’ show. Crouched behind the mic, oblivious to everything except the moment of the music, he shouted the lyrics to “Knife Party” and “Change (in the House of Flies).”
 

Soon after, the band took us back a few years to their 1997 album “Around the Fur.” As soon as bass player Chi Cheng entered with his line to “My Own Summer (Shove It),” I left my standing position and threw myself into the sea of moshers—headbanging until I butted the girl behind me.
 

I was even more entranced when they took us way back to 1995 when they played “Minus Blindfold” and “Nosebleed” from the “Adrenaline” album. Instantly, it was noticeable who the hardcore fans were because we were the ones who could sing along with every line of lyric, and we were moshing the hardest.
 

It was such a magical experience [to say the least], to be in the same aura as someone like Moreno. His god-like voice filtered through the amps, providing an ambience of mixed tranquility and excitement.
After “(Shove It),” I decided to step back from the chaos of the pit and absorb the moment of the Deftones for all it was worth—and it was something that I’ll never forget. It’s always great to be at a concert where a good band is playing, but it’s something above mystical and awesome when you step back to take in the experience of a band that is at the zenith of its career. The Deftones are the epitome of everything they do. They have never strayed from the style that they created in 1988.
 

Moreno was so active, although he doesn’t move around very much he is very interactive with the crowd. The last song was played and they left the stage but the fans remained, chanting for more. And like true rock stars, the Deftones returned and opened the encore with “Around the Fur,” played a few more songs and left the stage for good.
 

The Deftones are everything that Rock-n-Roll stands for. They are ingenious and profound. They are true to the music and have yet to compromise for what mainstream rock has become.
 

It’s more than difficult to explain or describe a Deftones’ show. It’s so supernatural and awe-inspiring to

hear and see them play less than 100 feet from your face. It was far surpassed any predetermined expectations I may have had. It was more than being in a mosh pit and more than headbanging and screaming to my favorite songs. It was like having god put his hands on my ears and say, “Listen my child, to one of the greatest bands play.”
 

I think everyone should see the Deftones live. It’s an unforgettable and inexplicable experience. Fans of the band, especially, should see them live. It’s so much different than anything an album could deliver.
Moreno and his comrades deliver with amazing precision. There may not be any spectacular technological aspects of the show, such as lighting or pyro, but I saw four of the greatest musicians playing because they love music—and that’s what rock is all about. It was the best 30 bucks I’ve ever spent on a concert ticket.