Live Review: Deftones, Tha Dogg Pound

Though interweb speculation that Snoop might drop in on his little cousin Daz Dillinger during tonight's set from long-time West Coast hip hop fixtures Tha Dogg Pound proves to be unfounded, together with Kurupt, the duo supported on decks and backing vocals do a good job to warm up a crowd that is initially a little confused. The novelty of hearing Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None) followed up with Dre's Let's Get High overrides the sometimes disjointed performance, and the pair's shoutiness. As they walk off to the sound of Bob Marley & The Wailers' Jammin', Kurupt offers the words of advice, “Smoke weed forever”.
With a habit of grouping their setlists by albums, Deftones begin a punishing 19-song set with 1997's Around The Fur as frontman Chino Moreno gets into prime position atop his stage ramp, launching into the air as Stephen Carpenter's opening chords give way to the massive, spine-tingling drop of Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away). Album buddies My Own Summer (Shove It) and Ihabia follow, and then it's White Pony time; though Moreno is less agile with the high notes of Digital Bath these days, he makes up for it with an unrelenting stage energy. The well-designed horizontal bar lighting of these Australian shows makes it look like a changing world of morning, dusk, night and red light districts are trying to break through windows from outside, complementing the quietly melodic versus all-out-assault dynamic these Californian power-players have been perfecting since 1988. Latest record Koi No Yokan is paid the most attention; the dramatic vibrancy of Tempest is a set highlight, as is the slower pace and fat bass of Rosemary, or simply any time one can drag eyes and ears from Moreno's rousing vocal to enjoy Abe Cunningham: the man, the drummer. Acknowledging the near career-ending, shitty time they had in making fifth record Saturday Night Wrist, deck man Frank Delgado inserts strange cackling samples into a rare and contemplative performance of Cherry Waves before the Sacramento quintet leaves quietly. The brutal encore protocol of Adrenaline favourites Root, Engine Number 9 and 7 Words is engaged as bassist Sergio Vega's head seems sure to explode from a terrifying display of backing vocals, and while it is always a pleasure to witness Deftones in full flight, maybe next visit they can insert some new blood into the finale. Nevertheless, they've covered all seven albums tonight, and damn, was it thrilling.