Deftones and Dillinger Escape Plan Concert Review

Last night in Montreal, Deftones performed to a sold out crowd. They are touring in support of Diamond Eyes, their latest offering, with Dillinger Escape Plan as their supporting band. Before tonight, Deftones had been my "band that got away." Though I have been a fan of their music for years, for one reason or another, I'd never been able to make it to a show. So when I found out that they would be at Metropolis, I knew that my chance had come. But did they live up to years of expectations? Read on to find out.

Dillinger Escape Plan

Dillinger Escape Plan took the stage first. Their infectious energy immediately won the crowd over. They jumped off giant speakers, they leapt into the crowd, and they threw their guitars around. This unbridled energy didn't take away from their performance, however. These guys don't perform like an opening act. They command the stage. Their 45-minute setlist included Gold Teeth on a Bum, Black Bubblegum, Sunshine the Werewolf, and many other fan favorites.

On Twitter today, the guys announced Montrealers to be the best smelling crowd on tour. That's got to count for something, right?

Deftones

The night began before Deftones even took the stage; excitement filled the room as the anticipation grew for what was about to come. The band burst onto the stage with Diamond Eyes, the title track from their newest album. The crowd sang along, lapping up every note hungrily, desperate for more. The next song, Rocket Skates, had fans screaming, "guns, razors, knives!"

Highlights were many. Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) and My Own Summer (Shove It), from album Around the Fur were obvious fan favorites, myself included. There's something therapeutic about screaming, "Shove it!"

Passenger, from album White Pony, originally features Maynard James Keenan of Tool -- and no, he wasn't there last night. Filling in was Greg Puciato, Dillinger Escape Plan's lead singer. It was a great moment.

Change (In the House of Flies), was my absolute favourite part of the show. For myself, I've wanted to see this song live since it was released, but I know I'm not alone when I say that the crowd went crazy. The voices sang out. Every head bobbed. Fists pumped. We were a force to be reckoned with. When the song ended, the energy never waned. The party had just begun.

Other tracks included Knife Party, from White Pony; You've Seen the Butcher, from Diamond Eyes; and Sextape, which garnered energetic responses from the audience.

The set ended with Back to School (Mini Maggit), and the encore consisted Chino Moreno--frontman--drumming for the crowd, after which, the band plunged into Root and 7 Words. But what we didn't expect was Chino's metal cover of Katy Perry's Firework.

From the beginning, the band, Chino in particular, had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. Chino's stage presence is engaging, his voice sounds better than ever, and he encourages crowd participation--he even stood atop the barricade for two songs, while fans patted him on the back, and even rubbed his head. He took it all in stride.

Deftones have been together for a long time, and it's evident. Their performance is tight, and makes their albums pale in comparison to their live show--a tough feat. They performed a great mix of old and new tracks, satisfying old and new fans alike. My ears are still ringing, but that's not the aspect that will stick with me forever. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Diamond Eyes.

Did they live up to my expectations? Nope. They exceeded them.

We also had the opportunity to chat with Deftones before the show in a video interview. For images, check out our photo gallery from last night's show!