Dredg, Deftones - San Diego CA
Location: Somas - San Diego CA
Author: Arturo Perez
Photography: N/A
First of all let me say that apart from Radiohead, dredg is the only band that could get me to drive three hours from L.A. to San Diego with a nice little fever just to see them again for what is like the thirteenth time. And that is because this band has never ceased to expand their boundaries or improve their live shows. Opening for the Deftones, dredg used this opportunity to play whatever the hell they wanted to play; instead of going for catchier tunes like “Same Ol’ Road” and “Of the Room,” they chose to go with a mirage of brand new tunes that aren’t coming out until early next year. Luckily some dredg fanatics like myself had been too impatient to wait for the official release and downloaded some new songs that leaked on the Internet, getting a chance to see the ever going development of songs like “Uplifting,” “Jamais Vu,” and “Tanbark,” which come out much edgier on stage, a nice mix between the rawness of Leitmotif and the much more progressive and melodic follow-up, El Cielo.
The fan base seemed evenly split in the quarter filled hall between fans who were there for the Deftones and fans who were there more so for dredg, and while singer Gavin seemed apologetic at the fact that they were an opening band getting in the way of the main performance, nobody seemed to mind. While I wanted to yell at Gavin for his lack of confidence, this is precisely what makes dredg such an amazing band; they are completely unaware of what is going on outside of their music. When these guys are on stage, there is a connection so deep within them that you literally feel that their energy is coming from another dimension. The four musicians leave us and join their very own zone, which is why they can afford to play an assortment of brand new songs without disappointing anyone. And when the band played my favorite song off their magnus opus, Leitmotif, we all heard one dude in the background scream a big and sudden “YES!” And that’s exactly what we were all feeling. Dredg closed with a brand new song that has yet to be leaked on the Internet but contains precisely the raw edge and intense energy that has made them the new darlings of the serious music geek.
Having been absorbed by the dredg sound, I was eagerly awaiting the sonic bombardment of the furious gods that are the Deftones. Unfortunately it seems that the soul that once made the Deftones one of the best bands in the world has left them behind, maybe life got too…pleasant.
All the elements were there. Starting off aggressively the band opened with “Hexagram” off their latest release, and went through some of their heavier songs like “Korea” and “My Own Summer (Shove it),” but the energy just didn’t feel real. Sure singer Chino Moreno was jumping around speakers like a fucking monkey with his baggy pants ready to fall off at any minute, but it all seemed way too…staged. There is an intensity in albums like Around the Fur that makes their anger feel so real that you can’t help but fall in love with the band, this intensity combined with their musical prowess has made them the critic darlings of metal, but it all seems to be fading for them. Could it be that this is a band that should be calling it quits and opening themselves up to new adventures like Moreno’s much mellower Team Sleep? It pains me to write this having loved the Deftones so much, but as much as I tried to like their latest release, it is not something I kept playing for many months after its release date. I think that we will pretty soon see dredg being the headliners of their own sold out tour while we will be talking of the Deftones as the grand band that’s ceased to be. I’m the first one hoping to be wrong about this though.
Regardless of the ongoing demise of the band’s soul, this tour has proven to be nothing short of success, selling out everywhere it goes, while scalpers sell tickets that go for over $150 dollars. It is good to see dredg finally going on a prolonged tour with a valuable band that can help them increase their fan base, because let’s face it guys, Hoobastank and Alien Ant Farm fans aren’t exactly prone to totally get you! And while Gavin actually surprised me with the good reception they received from the Hoobastank fans, I’ve also heard the stories of dredg fans paying the Hoobastank ticket price only to leave immediately after the dredg set. They are just that type of band.
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Reader's Comments:
coco :: 04:12 Saturday 25 Marcheck out this band amazing!!!!!!!
www.myspace.com/fable
will not be disapointed
hey everybody,please read this and then you may want to contact me. Apart from being a fan of DREDG, i have to contact them for the happiness of a hopeless boy. PLEASE help me to CONTACT DREDG. I really need this.. if you find a way,mail me: sevinc-ugur@hotmail.com or haunting_clown@yahoo.com i will be very happy if you do so.. thanks..
alicia :: 05:03 Thursday 2 Juni agree with Mikie... EVOSEED is the best local band here in Cincinnati that i have heard. Even with no singer as of yet.
Marc Romano :: 16:02 Monday 30 MayDredg, I play guitar in a band called Evoseed and i am dying to contact you guys. i will be at your show in San Diego on the 23 and i was wondering if you would take the Evoseed cd we made especially for you guys. We worked very hard on it and you can tell you guys are our main influence
danielle :: 08:30 Thursday 26 MayI lOvE yOu GuYS....EvOsEeD
guest :: 10:49 Thursday 5 MayRegarding your comments on the Deftones performance, I think they were just winding down a little...the purpose of that tour was to play at some small clubs, get back in the swing of playing again and just tightening things up and then going directly into the studio to release an album.
I know at the show in St. Pete, FL that Chino certainly didn't seem to give it his all - on Bloody Cape, I was expecting to hear him go all out, but he seemed reserved, like he was holding back and didn't want to hurt his voice before going in to record.
I'm looking forward to their tour after this new album, which is supposed to be pretty hard. Just my 2 cents.
im in love with Gavin...i cant stand this...is too much...
mikie :: 18:36 Tuesday 22 Marlive my life by dredg i am friends with a no named band that are great there music is so good and they would love to play for dredg... i have cried to dredg and my friends band EVOSEED