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Earlier this month Deftones came to town and I not only saw their show at the Sound Academy but I also got to meet the guys. For their current tour the band offered different VIP ticket options including Diamond tickets which came with a sound check performance, a meet and greet and a bunch of signed merch. The prices weren't exactly cheap but I figured what the hell - it's not every day you get the chance to meet Chino and the guys.

The VIP check in time was super early so I took the day off work and headed down to Polson Pier for 4:30. The Sound Academy is not my favourite venue by any means but I was just glad the Deftones weren't playing Arrow Hall for once. The sound check was first up. It was pretty quick (only two songs) but seeing the band play to a crowd of less than 100 people was still a cool experience.

Next was the meet and greet. I was surprised by how little security there was - none whatsoever. They basically had one guy running the whole thing including taking the photos. He kind of rushed everyone through but the guys themselves were really friendly and cool. Stef busted out a different ridiculous smile or pose for practically every picture. After my snapshot I asked Chino about working with the Japanese band Wagdug Futuristic Unity. They're basically unknown in this part of the world but I really dig them. Their song featuring Chino is pretty badass.



The show itself was amazing. The guys played for almost two hours and covered all the albums. The set list actually included eight tracks off of White Pony which was sweet. They only performed one song from Saturday Night Wrist but it was great to hear Cherry Waves anyway. That night was their first time playing the tune in years Chino said.


Here are a few clips I found on Youtube from the show: