Deftones - Gig Review & Photo Gallery 8th November @ Metro City, Perth
Deftones
Metro City, Perth
November 8th, 2016
Supports: Karnivool and Voyager
If the queue snaking out the front of Metro City and heading down Roe St was anything to go by Tuesday nights in the world's most isolated city rock!
Well, they do when Deftones roll into town bringing Voyager and Karnivool along for the ride.
The band given the job to kick things off was Voyager and they did so in scintillating fashion. With the early crowd lapping up every prog-metal note the boys played. The locals have a huge following in Perth and it was great to see so many turn up so early in the night. "Give it up for Voyager, they were fucking sick!" So proclaimed Karnivool’s Ian Kenny during their set. Given the punter's response to Voyager’s set many agreed.
Speaking of Karnivool, the prog metal masters didn't let the, what was, in my opinion, an unfairly restricted stage slow them down. It’s hard playing with minimal room and almost no lighting to speak of. From the atmospheric opening strains of their taped intro, the mood was set. They grabbed Perth by the nuts and squeezed. Note perfect with flawless vocals Karnivool did what they do best. The boys had the near sold out Metro City crowd in their hands giving them no choice but to have a good time. I honestly can't remember the last time I heard punters not only sing lyrics word for word but chant for an encore from a support act. Sadly the encore wasn’t forthcoming. Even without the extra few songs Karnivool left a very satisfied crowd indeed.
If the support acts were exceptional, headliners Deftones were something else altogether. With Pink Floyd’s ‘Welcome to the Machine’ playing the crowd was lulled into a false sense of prog serenity. That serenity was destroyed as a wall of light and sound hit with ‘Diamond Eyes’. The opening light show should have come with a warning sticker, multicoloured strobe were enough to send you into an alt-metal seizure. It was sardine time in Metro City so if you hadn’t grabbed a vantage point in the multi-level venue you risked missing out on a complete package of sight and sound. Chino Moreno and co had, as they always do bring their A-game. Getting down and dirty the front man went the extra mile to engage the fans, and on more than one occasion risked getting pulled into the pit by the slightly over exuberant yet well meaning.
One member who wasn’t at risk of going anywhere was lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter. The seven-string virtuoso was almost rooted to the spot at stage left, although the illusion of motion was supplied via a wind machine with his long flowing locks getting the full treatment. Cooling breeze aside Carpenter can play and his dissonant chord technique the backbone of Deftones sound was a delight to hear and see. In contrast, the rhythm of Sergio Vena was not rooted to any spot, with the bombastic bass player bouncing and popping his way across the stage.
The boys brought the noise, and what a noise it was. Their 16 song set of tracks from just about their entire catalogue there was something for everyone from ‘Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)’, My Own Summer (Shove it)’ to ‘Rosemary’ and ‘Knife Prty’ some of the highlights of a set of so many. There wasn’t a flat point, add in the obligatory two-song encore of ‘Bored’ (this reviewer was getting a little worried they’d left that one off) and Engine No. 9 and you have a Tuesday night in Perth to end all Tuesday nights – well at least until Deftones come back to town.
Reviewed by Gareth Williams
Photographer, Den Rad, was on hand. His gallery is below – simply click on an image to enlarge.
Bands/Promoters feel free to share
Others – please do not use without permission
Voyager
Karnivool
Deftones
Thursday, 10th November: Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Lic AA
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au
Friday, 11th November: Festival Hall, Melbourne Lic AA
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au
Saturday, 12th November: Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Lic AA
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au
Sunday, 13th November: Riverstage, Brisbane Lic AA
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au
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