We leave at 4:45 and get to the Phoenix around 5:30. Hardly anybody
was in line for it being so late (3 hours before concert). We all
stand in line and we here a soundcheck and it was the Deftones
practicing their set. After that some guy's girlfriend said they
saw Chino leave the Phoenix in a limo to go eat with his girlfriend
(it was an Explorer to tell the truth); so the Robert and Andrew go
check and see if there was anybody else. So Andrew comes back and I
go back where rob is, he was all hey that's their bus I was like
oh shit. So then Andrew comes and we just sit there. Then out of nowhere
chi (the bass for Deftones) and Frank (DJ for Deftones) came out to go
somewhere so then I took a picture because I had a camera with me the
whole time. But first I take a picture of Frank first because he came
out first. Then after that was finally chi and I took a picture inside
their van because he posed for me. After they took off rob said let's
go around the side, so then we go around the side and we meet these
people that were there the whole time. I was all holy shit there's
Stephen (guitars for Deftones) and then like Rob and Andrew look too
and tell me to take a picture but these people say I wouldn't because
they might take your camera as soon as you click. Then we saw Abe
(drums for Deftones) come out with a box full sticks. I was going to
take a picture because I had such the perfect picture anybody could
have, Abe was looking our direction with the stick with him and like
before too much security. So out of nowhere Dominos Pizza pulls up to
bring 3 pizzas and I guess some bread. So we saw Stephen, Abe, security
and their agents eating pizza. So we leave to go see if a couple people
we know were here. We saw them and went back to wait for Chino, but
he never came when we were outside so we went in because it was cold.
They opened the doors right at 8 and it said 8 on the tickets so I'm
guessing they meant the doors. I had to put my camera by my crotch
because they were nowhere to put it, so they searched us. They never
found my camera; so I got in with the camera. When we got in me and
Robert went to the top and Andrew went to the floor. From where we
sat we had a nice ass view. It took 45 minutes to get everyone inside.
There was an opening band Will Haven. They were pretty good but the
singer kept saying the same thing and he sounded like what chino does
in "Elite" and the music sounded the same but it was fucking hard and
sick. They stop and the singer says, "you guys ready for Deftones,
well here's our last song, thank you" and bust into the same shit
but it was cool. Finally they were done. Rob and I went down stairs
to get our shirts and meet up w/Drew. Of course we all get the same
fucking shirt but its cool. After that me and Rob go back upstairs
while they set up Deftones' set. One of the people before the concert
said that this is all new equipment they were playing with the first
time they were playing it too. So meanwhile I know that Abe uses Orange
County's before but tonight he used Tama. Finally lights are off and
Deftones come on to rock the fucking joint. We here this guitar sound
getting some feedback and in the shadows we see the members hopping on
stage and getting prep talk and shit. So feed back was coming out of
the guitar and this Be Quiet and Drive or Lotion riff busts out and
it goes longer so they opened up with Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
(my favorite deftones song). I couldn't see Chino, so I asked Rob
and we stood up and Rob says "he's right there on the floor bending
over." He stands, and Stephen stops, gets feedback, and busts into the
hard part, lights on (oh by the way...sick ass light show I have ever
seen) and Chino, "this town don't feel mine" then they stopped and
bust into the secret song off of Around the Fur "Damone" I think that
was the best song live I heard that night. (I don't really remember
what the set list was but this is what they play: Bored, Root, My Own Summer,
Mascara, Around the Fur, Be Quiet and Drive, Lotion, Headup, Damone, Elite,
Change, Digital Bath, and 3 or 4 more new songs). For most of the new
songs live Chino played the guitars, it was sick he's better then I
thought he was. I had a camera with me so I just went photography nuts,
so the event staff guy comes to me and says stop doing the flash,
I was like uhh...OK so then I told Robert that I had to go on the floor
because that's the only way I could get pictures without someone telling
me no. So I was in the pit for Lotion, Mascara, Around the Fur, Root,
and Bored, then I left because it was a slow song I had no clue what it
was. So I was up the whole time I hella wanted to go back down because I
had such a good view. So Chino says this is our last song...thank you and
bust into Elite now that song was sick. After the song they all left
besides Stephen and he was getting some feedback again and Chi comes
out and says "we're going to play one more song for you guys. This goes
out to you we thank you for coming out to see us play. Its been a long
time playing to our home town"; and they bust into Headup. After they were
done each member got off at once: Chi, Chino, Abe, Stephen, then Frank
because he was doing all the sick samples and shit. After the show we
all went back to the spot where we saw Abe and Stephen eat pizza. We
thought we might be able to see Chino come out but instead we saw
Kristian and Chino's wife, oh yeah...well we knew it was Kristian
because Chino opened the door and yelled "hey Kristian get your butt
in here right now" because he was cussing. 10 or 15 minutes later Frank
Delgado comes out and we start a conversation with him but we turn to
the bushes and he's taking a piss. After a while this guy that we
thought was Robert Moreno, Chino's brother, (he kinda did look like him)
anyways so we saw him and he walked passed us and he said "hey" to
Drew and Drew said who me and Drew goes over there and Robert Moreno
gives him something but I have no clue what, but it had to be something
good. He gave him a backstage pass. Me and Rob went up to him and was like
sick. Andrew went inside and got Abe's autograph I was like all
right...now my turn. So I took the pass and I slapped it on my chest. He
told me to go through the front so I did I walked onto the floor acting
myself, all that was going through my head was find Chino find chino...
so I took my wallet out then I looked for him I had no clue what he was
wearing or anything so I just looked around walking closer to the stage.
While I was walking towards the stage I saw this guy with his pants
by his ass and a green sweatshirt with a hood on and I thought that was him.
I turned to my right and I saw these guys walking into backstage without
any pass. I thought I would be able to go in there with a pass so I was
walking towards that way and the same guy that I saw on stage walked by
me and looked at me twice while I looked at him twice. He came up to
me and asked me if I wanted him to sign anything and at that point I was
like I have Chino Mo-fucking-reno right in front of me. So I was talking
to him saying stuff like you guys are sick, you and your band are
my favorite and I didn't recognize you with your hood on and he responded
that's what I wear now. I was like o OK cool and he left and I left at
the same time. Was going to talk to him about my ex-band but I had Rob
waiting outside to do what I just did. Robert went inside and met Abe, Chi,
and Chino. What Rob did was smoked a cigarette with them and drank a beer.
We left the Phoenix around 12:30 and got home at 1:00. My life is complete
now...and I did it all in one night.