Concerts Reviews
Deftones Bring Power and Poise to Vancouver’s Rogers Arena
The last time Deftones played Vancouver, they were already legends. On Friday night at Rogers Arena, they cemented it. The show doubled as the kickoff for their late-summer tour and the release day of their long-awaited tenth studio album Private Music. That kind of timing can either weigh heavy on a band or send them into overdrive. Luckily for us, Chino Moreno and crew chose the latter.
The lights dropped, and Stephen Carpenter’s unmistakable riff announced “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away).” Within seconds, Chino Moreno bounded across the stage, voice already at full throttle. Before the arena could catch its breath, they launched into “My Own Summer (Shove It),” and the floor erupted into a mosh pit (shoutout to the fan wearing a full Cat In A Cat Costume). Crowd surfers did not stopped for the rest of the night.
Then came the first surprise: “My Mind Is a Mountain,” performed live on tour for the very first time. The track, one of the lead singles from Private Music, swirled before detonating into massive riffs. Hearing a song debut in front of 18,000 people gave it an edge where half the crowd was unsure what was coming, the other half already singing along from memory.
The setlist was a back and forth between past and present. Staples like “Diamond Eyes” and “Tempest” landed with the force of old favourites, while “Swerve City” sent the floor into rhythmic chaos. But just as quickly, they pulled things inward with the hypnotic “Digital Bath” and the shimmering melancholy of “Sextape.” This balance of violence and beauty, often within the same song, remains Deftones’ greatest trick.
Carpenter’s return to full-time touring gave the night extra weight. His down-tuned guitars powered “Rocket Skates” and “Around the Fur,” while Abe Cunningham’s drumming on “Headup” was a show of sheer endurance. That track bled into a brand-new outro with “Souvenir” from Private Music, a clever fusion of old aggression and new material.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the night came mid-set with “Entombed,” a 2012 fan favourite that hadn’t graced setlists in years. Its calm hushed the arena before “Infinite Source,” another tour debut, sent everyone right back into chaos. Hearing three brand-new songs in one night proved the band wasn’t leaning on nostalgia. They came to prove that Private Music belongs in the conversation with their best work.
Of course, the night wasn’t without the deep cuts fans dream about. “Hole in the Earth,” from the often-overlooked Saturday Night Wrist, drew one of the loudest cheers of the night, its weight amplified by Chino’s delivery.
The main set closed with “Genesis” and then, fittingly, “Milk of the Madonna.” The latter, another tour debut, showed off the band’s willingness to experiment: part lullaby, part nightmare, and wholly Deftones.
When the band returned for the encore, the choices felt deliberate. “Cherry Waves” gave longtime fans a rare gem, washing the arena in guitar textures. Then came “Engine No. 9,” a tour debut that sent the pit back into pure chaos. Finally, they ended the night with “7 Words,” the furious anthem that started it all back in 1995. Hearing it live, almost 30 years later, was a full-circle moment.
Through it all, Moreno was the unshakable centre. At 51, he’s somehow sharper than ever: screaming, crooning, running, leaping, never losing breath or intensity. Carpenter’s riffs anchored everything, while Cunningham and bassist Sergio Vega (back with them for this tour) drove the songs with punishing precision. Frank Delgado’s textures added the atmosphere, the ghostly electronics that make Deftones more than just heavy.
Production was stripped back but effective. LED walls washed the stage in colours, matching the mood swings of the set. Sometimes the band played in silhouette, swallowed by shadow. Other times they were lit up harshly, every movement exaggerated against the blinding white strobes.
By the time the final notes of “7 Words” faded, Rogers Arena was drenched in sweat and euphoria. Deftones have been around long enough to watch entire genres rise and fall. Yet here they are in 2025, dropping a new album on the same day they kick off a tour, still making arenas shake, still giving their fans something to believe in.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
08/24 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place *
08/25 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome *
08/27 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre *
08/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center *
08/30 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum *
09/01 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center *
09/03 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium !
09/05 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium !
09/07 – Quebec City, QC @ Videotron Centre *
09/08 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre +
09/10 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena +
09/11 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena +
09/13 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center +
09/15 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena +
09/17 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center +
09/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees
09/20 – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life
10/03 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock
11/01 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park (Dia De Los Deftones)
* = w/ Phantogram and The Barbarians of California
+ = w/ IDLES and The Barbarians of California
! = w/ System of a Down
More info on their website.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the fulle gallery!
DEFTONES
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: The Captain of the Castro: Why Sam Smith’s Residency Is San Francisco’s New Sanctuary
Words by Starr Lee
SAN FRANCISCO- After an intimate residency in Brooklyn earlier this year, Sam Smith has brought the concept west, settling into San Francisco’s newly reopened Castro Theatre for a five-week run that feels deliberate and personal.
The neon marquee glows against the fog like it has something to say. Inside the 1,400-capacity movie palace, restored after a $41 million renovation, the main level fills quickly. No floor seating. Just a standing crowd packed beneath the balcony, bodies shoulder to shoulder, faces tilted toward the stage. Above them, fans lean over the railing, drinks in hand, waiting.
Smith walks out without fanfare.
They open with “Lay Me Down,” nearly motionless beneath a single spotlight. Dressed in a structured captain’s hat and a sweeping lace coat fastened with an oversized flower pendant, they look like a romantic voyager arriving somewhere that already feels familiar. The first note is soft, almost cautious. Then it opens.
In a room this size, nothing escapes. The Castros’ acoustics catch the grain in Smith’s tenor, the slight ache at the edge of sustained notes, the inhale before a chorus swells. The crowd is silent, standing still, listening.
When “I’m Not the Only One” begins, the temperature shifts. Smith lowers their voice for the first verse, almost speaking the lines before lifting into the chorus. On “You and me, we made a vow,” their voice tightens just slightly, intentional and controlled. By the second refrain, the crowd is singing quietly along. Not screaming. Not overpowering. Just enough to be felt. Smith steps back from the mic for a beat and lets the lyric hover before reclaiming it with a steady rise. The moment feels shared rather than performed.
After the second song, Smith looks out across the standing crowd below the balcony.
“This city means a lot to me,” they say. “My first show here, I was 20 years old.”
They tell a story about being left alone in San Francisco while a partner explored the city without them. About wandering through neighbourhoods by themselves. About unexpectedly falling in love with the place. “It feels very full circle to be here for five weeks,” they admit, scanning the room.
Then they squint toward the front.
“Wait. Were you here last night?”
A fan screams.
“Oh my God. You’re doing the residency properly. I love that.”
Laughter spreads across the floor and up to the balcony. That’s the difference when an artist stays in one place. The room starts to recognise itself.
Midway through the set, the lace coat slips away, revealing a custom Vivienne Westwood look: a black poet’s shirt with dramatic sleeves, tailored cheeky shorts, towering heeled boots striking sharply against the stage. The shift feels freeing. Smith moves differently now. Looser. More playful.
They introduce a new track, “My Guy,” sharing that for the first time in their career, they are writing from a place where the love is reciprocated. Followed by a cover of Erasure’s “A Little Respect”, “It’s a Wednesday,” they laugh, “but I need you to shake your titties.”
The balcony answers first.
A sleek blend of “Ain’t Nobody” and “I’m Not Here to Make Friends” turns the theatre intoa late-night dance floor. But soon they bring the energy back down to another cover
Later, bathed in deep blue light, Smith steps toward the piano for “Angel From Montgomery.”
“It took me eight years to finally listen to Elton and sing this,” they admit.
The arrangement is stripped back to piano and voice. No embellishment. The lower register carries weight. The higher notes remain clear and measured. When the final line fades, the room holds still for a second longer than expected before applause breaks through.
Sam Smith’s residency at the Castro Theatre runs through Feb.10th-March 14th, 2026. Tickets are available via the theatre’s official website. With just 1,400 standing spots per night and word spreading quickly, availability is limited.
Five weeks in one theatre does something rare. It turns a concert into a chapter. And this one is still being written.
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Warm Grooves and Wandering Sax: Venna’s Malik Tour Shines in Vancouver
On February 10th, a sunny day in Vancouver, British Columbia, Venna took the stage at a sold-out show at Fortune Sound Club to begin his 10th stop of the Malik Tour.
Venna’s Malik Tour transforms his debut album into a rich, flowing live experience that feels both intimate and expansive. From the first notes of “Prophet,” the tone is warm, atmospheric, and deeply intentional. The track rises slowly, giving Venna’s saxophone room to shine before the band steps in.
“Numero Uno” eases in with a slow, sensual build. Analogue textures settling around live drums, bass and guitar as they lock into a steady groove. A saxophone line runs through it, mostly consistent but never quite the same twice. As one of the early standouts in the set, it brings a vibrant, rhythmic lift to the room. Live, the track feels fuller and more expansive than on record. The percussion hits with extra weight, the bass digs in deeper, and the arrangement stretches just enough to feel loose and alive. It’s in moments like this that Venna’s skill as a bandleader really shows. He understands when to step out front and when to let the music unfold naturally.
Later in the performance, “Twisting” gently reshapes the mood. The track carries its silky, soul-infused character effortlessly, with R&B textures creating one of the evening’s most affecting moments. The audience sways in unison, absorbed in the melody as it floats over restrained yet powerful instrumentation. Stripped back to its live arrangement, the song underscoring Venna’s ability to blend influences seamlessly while keeping the overall sound cohesive and immersive.
Another standout is “Eternal Reflections,” which feels especially alive in a live setting. The arrangement leans into its layered textures, creating a cinematic feel. The band’s chemistry shines here, with each musician contributing without overpowering the others.
Throughout the set, Venna glides between high-energy grooves and quieter, introspective moments. The way one song flows into the next feels intentional. Even without an elaborate stage setup, the lighting mirrors the music’s mood. It glows in warm amber hues during the more intimate moments, then faded into cooler tones as the performance takes on a more atmospheric edge.
What makes the Malik Tour so compelling is its emotional pacing. The set doesn’t rely solely on standout singles; instead, it builds an arc. By the time the closing number arrives and reprised themes introduced earlier in the show, the audience feels like they’ve journeyed somewhere meaningful.
Venna proves that his artistry goes far beyond technical skill. On the Malik Tour, songs like “Prophet,” “Numero Uno,” “Twisting,” and “Eternal Reflections,” are reimagined. The result is a live show that feels cohesive and deeply human. It’s a conversation in sound that Venna leads beautifully.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
VENNA
All Photo Credit: Kamaya Atterberry