23-02-2025
Hometown proud: Deftones' show at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center to mark alt-rock milestone
The list of Deftones' accomplishments over the past three decades reads like a checklist of rock stardom: Millions of records sold, world tours, Grammy Awards recognition, network TV appearances, fans with album covers and band iconography tattooed into their skin.
But, one milestone had yet to be reached: a sold-out arena show in the city that birthed the band.
That level will finally be unlocked on Saturday at Golden 1 Center. It's a 'light the beam' kind of moment for a band launched from Sacramento and redefined the sonic possibilities of heavy rock music.
But the question remains: How did Deftones reach peak popularity at this particular time, especially when the band hasn't released an album in nearly five years?
The short answer is Deftones were always ahead of the times with their sound, a dazzling blend of heavy metal bombast and otherworldly musical textures. Now, the alt-rock masses are finally catching up. That's especially true for a Gen Z fanbase that's embraced the band, making tracks like '(Change) In the House of Flies' go viral on TikTok.
One of those passionate fans is Mateo Carreón, a 16-year-old junior at Jesuit High School. He's a Deftones diehard, listing their 2010 'Diamond Eyes' record and self-titled album from 2003 as his favorites.
'They're a band that can help express anyone's emotions, especially the emotions that teenagers face,' says Carreón. 'They resonate with us.'
It's not just the home-court advantage that's led to a Sacramento sell-out. The same goes for the Feb. 25 tour opener at Portland's 20,000-capacity Moda Center and even Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ticket sales were so strong at the Kia Forum in Southern California that a second show was added.
(Note that additional tickets were released in some cities, including Sacramento, after selling out their initial run.)
Now, the lines are blowing up at Sacramento's Alt 94.7 (KKDO-FM) whenever Deftones tickets are given away to lucky listeners.
'Outside of Disneyland tickets, these are the most popular thing I give away,' said Andy Hawk, the station's brand manager and weekday on-air DJ. 'Whenever I'm at events these days, the first thing people say every time is, 'Are you giving away more tickets?''
Deftones' upcoming tour builds off acclaimed appearances at some of the festival world's most coveted stages including 2024's Coachella, the de facto festival for tastemakers and influencers. Deftones were also among the key acts at Lollapalooza in August, receiving a rave review in the Chicago Sun-Times.
'Deftones is one of the few bands that could have played Lollapalooza in its infancy in the '90s, and they still have following, relevance and caliber of material that makes them fitting for the 2024 edition,' wrote music writer Selena Fragassi.
Not bad for a group of homeboys who formed the band in a south Sacramento garage. Singer Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, drummer Abe Cunningham and DJ Frank Delgado are the group's long-running members. Fred Sablan was recruited in 2022 as a touring bassist, following in the footsteps of the late-Chi Cheng and Sergio Vega. (Guitarist Lance Jackman joined for the band's recent international tours.)
The 1990s saw Deftones release two albums that ultimately went platinum, 1995's 'Adrenaline' and 'Around the Fur' in 1997. 'White Pony' was the band's watershed album, debuting at No. 3 on Billboard's album charts in 2000 and spawned a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
The band was initially lumped with the emerging 'nu-metal' scene that included Korn, Limp Bizkit and other acts that added hip-hop touches to their mosh-worthy music. But the Deftones always did things differently. The heavier-than-thou guitar chunk and Moreno's vocal histrionics were there. But, so were headier moods and romantic flair that referenced new wave bands like Depeche Mode and The Cure.
'Very few bands have a signature sound,' said Hawk. 'No one ever said Deftones sound like this other band. Now, you have all these younger bands literally sounding just like them. How many bands ever really accomplish that?'
Deftones' multi-layered sound has not only stood the test of time, but earned respect from generations of artists. In 2018, Moreno was invited to sing lead vocals with Smashing Pumpkins during a 30th-anniversary show in Chicago. The Cure and Deftones also have a long kinship, with Deftones playing 'If Only Tonight We Could Sleep' on 2004's 'MTV Icon: The Cure.' Deftones were also featured at 2019's 'Pasadena Daydream Festival,' which was curated by The Cure.
Those kinds of collaborations have cemented Deftones' respect among its original fanbase. But, the recent embrace from Gen Z has taken Deftones to new heights. In a 2023 interview with the BBC, Billie Eilish name-checked Deftones as one of her favorite bands. Meanwhile, the band's music is all over TikTok in footage of fit checks and users singing along to tracks. The song '(Change) In the House of Flies' currently has more than 140,000 posts on TikTok.
This combination of Sacramento roots and social media stardom turned Aylin Leon into a Deftones ultra-fan. She's from Meadowview and recently turned 21 — born a year after the group's fourth album was released. Leon discovered the group through a cousin and further connects with the band' Mexican American and multi-cultural backgrounds.
'It's nice to hear these people were from South Sac,' said Leon. 'You don't always see a lot of people who (play) that kind of music and have my background. I never get bored of their sound. I feel like they paved the way for a lot of newer bands popping up.'
Deftones certainly aren't a stranger to large crowds, especially on the festival circuit. But even during its commercial peak with 'White Pony,' the band was more likely to headline venues in the 5,000-person capacity range.
Meanwhile, the momentum for the Golden 1 Center show has been building for months. Deftones and System of a Down co-headlined a Golden Gate Park show that drew nearly 50,000 fans. The band's annual festival, Dia De Los Deftones, was also a sell-out in San Diego that drew more than 22,000 concertgoers in November.
Dia De Los Deftones, which launched in 2018, has also solidified its fervent fan base among Latinos. Even in times when its domestic shows were in mid-sized venues, Deftones was more likely to play stadiums and arenas in Mexico and throughout Latin America.
'It's one of the most fascinating topics in music today,' Hawk said about Deftones' current popularity. 'They have a consistency of touring 20+ years and created a world where they're every cool band's favorite band. It's one of the most organic and real things that's happened with a band.'
Beyond their upcoming tour dates, Deftones are reportedly working on their 10th album but a release date is currently unknown.
What is known: Golden 1 Center is going to be one heck of a homecoming as Deftones' fan base continues to solidify, from the Gen Xers who first fell in love with the band to teenagers like Carreón, who's offered to clean the family refrigerator and do extra chores in exchange for a ticket.
'It's cool to see them blow up with other fans,' he said. 'A couple of friends at school said they liked them and I was shocked, like you've definitely got some taste.'
