I can’t even explain the high I’m on right now. On the night of the 8th of November, as the United States woke up to vote, Perth was treated to a show like no other in the form of some of the best, heavy hitting alt-metal acts around, led by Sacramento titans Deftones.

The night was kicked off in good (albeit delayed) fashion, with Perth’s Voyager ripping through their set. The prog-metal outfit were held together by a solid rhythm section, and they showcased their talent with roaring drum and bass solos sprinkled throughout their set. Vocalist Daniel Estrin was in fine form, and the best metal cover of Darude’s “Sandstorm” featuring a melodica you'll ever see was the cherry on top of a serviceable performance.

Next on the home-grown opening roster were local legends Karnivool. The band were as tight as ever, putting on a masterful show and eliciting a huge response from the appreciative home audience. Frontman Ian Kenny swayed and danced about the stage, clearly thriving off the huge crowd reaction. Playing largely from their 2005 album Themata, Karnivool also offered a sneak peek into a potential new album in the form of a new song. As the crowd called out a (sadly, unfulfilled) request for “one more song”, you almost wondered who the real headliners were.

Until Deftones came out. Immediately firing on all cylinders with opener “Diamond Eyes” (preceded by a stunning lights show), the band were in high spirits, with Chino Moreno bounding about the stage. This energy was met tenfold by the crowd. “What a lovely crowd,” Moreno commented at one stage in the night, with full sincerity. “I always think of Perth as the furthest place from home, so this is nice to come out to.”

Throughout the night, the band threw appreciative glances at their sizeable audience, clearly enjoying the show as much as we were. Moreno made frequent journeys into the mosh, grasping people’s hands, singing to their faces and handing the microphone over to adoring fans. At one stage, he ventured as far back as the bar at the back of the room, the crowd craning their necks to see where he was. Later in the night, Moreno examined a beer bottle he had been handed. “It’s a Mexican brew,” he joked, making reference to his heritage, before chugging the whole bottle on the demand of the crowd.

The set-list was largely drawn from the greatest hits of their career, playing just three songs from their newest album Gore. Right near the tail-end of the show, “Change (In the House of Flies)” evoked probably the biggest singalong of the night (amongst stiff competition). “Knife Prty” ended the set proper, before cries for an encore were graciously received, leading to “Bored” and “Engine No. 9” ending the night on a glorious high.

It’s difficult to put into words just how cathartic the whole night was. With ears ringing and hoarse voices, the crowd departed, euphoric from sharing one glorious night with each other.

Deftones Setlist

1. Diamond Eyes
2. Digital Bath
3. Kimdracula
4. Gore
5. Rocket Skates
6. Tempest
7. Swerve City
8. Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
9. Headup
10. My Own Summer (Shove It)
11. Rosemary
12. Prince
13. (L)MIRL
14. Rubicon
15. Change (In the House of Flies)
16. Knife Prty
Encore:
17. Bored
18. Engine No. 9