Tonight, I feel like more

MANILA, Philippines - First of all, how does one write about a dream coming true?

To do that, I guess I’ll have to take you back in time. Back then, I was a scrappy little sixth grader honing my music sensibilities in classic rock, grunge (courtesy of a really cool older sister) and the beginnings of nu metal (courtesy of NU107). The day I first heard My Own Summer (Shove It), it lit a fuse in me, and I knew that Deftones would be an important part of my development as a musician/artist/writer/human being.

The time of nu metal passd, but unlike their contemporaries, Deftones, like fine wine, have managed to pull off a few things: 1) aging well, 2) achieving longevity in an otherwise cutthroat industry, and 3) achieving utmost respect from their peers and loyal fan base as their sound continues to evolve with each record.

Fast forward some years later: it’s past-my-curfew-o’clock, I’m sitting on a curb of a dimly lit street somewhere in Sikatuna Village with a bunch of scruffy metalheads I love, passing around a bottle of gin with no chaser (because that is how we roll in the ‘hood). Then we started talking about our collective passion for the Sacramento quintet.

“Chong, anong gagawin mo kung pumunta dito ang Deftones?”

“Magbebenta na ako ng atay, pare.”

“Shet. Magbebenta ako ng kidney, pare. Sana talaga tumugtog sila dito.”

The conversation went on like that for the rest of the night, as we laughed off our fantasy of ever seeing our heroes play on Philippine shores. In 2010, the band was doing a Pacific Rim tour to promote “Diamond Eyes,” their newest LP.

And then: Holy sh*t, they were coming to Manila.

Cue the initial panic and succeeding glee from Deftones fans everywhere in the metro as social media feeds started broadcasting urgent all-capitals statuses like: “DEFTONES ARE COMING TO MANILA OH MY GOD!!!” to name a few. Only borderline hysteria could describe the anticipation everyone felt for their concert on Feb. 12, 2011. “One of the most awesome shows we played in a while was in Manila,” vocalist Chino Moreno is quoted as saying after Deftones’ first visit here — the atmosphere was ablaze with energy and the entire audience, mostly big kids in their mid to late 20s who grew up listening to the band, were singing along to every song. Not too shabby a first impression, I’d say.

Shapes and colors are all i see

Fast forward again to 2013, and they’ve returned to promote “Koi No Yokan,” named after the Japanese concept of realizing the exact moment you fall in love with a person. As early as 1 p.m., excited fans lined up outside the World Trade Center, many of them clad in Deftones logo tees and T-shirts paying homage to original bassist Chi Cheng, who sadly passed away this year after suffering a car accident in 2008. As soon as the gates opened, everyone rushed in to find a spot to best enjoy the concert, from the pumped-up fans pasted to the railings to the groups camped in the back, in close proximity to the bar that dispensed beer and Jack Cokes, the evening’s chosen libations.

Splintr.com competition winners Philia opened the show, but unfortunately, even purple-haired actress-cum-vocalist Arci Muñoz’s intense stage presence was not enough to rouse even the slightest bit of interest from the tough crowd. Longtime metal stalwarts Queso did a better job of getting everyone’s blood pumping with their performance. At the end of the set, vocalist Ian Tayao clasped his hands in prayer and gazed heavenward. “This one’s for Chi,” he declared, as the audience roared in applause for Deftones’ fallen comrade.

I wish this night would never end

Finally, the time had come. Bassist Sergio Vega and guitarist Stephen “Stef” Carpenter appeared onstage, followed by DJ Frank Delgado and drummer Abe Cunningham, greeted by the deafening roar of the audience. Chino Moreno eventually emerged, clad in a leather jacket and Joy Division T-shirt, swinging his mic around and spitting on the floor like a deranged cowboy from hell. The band opened with “Diamond Eyes”’ Rocket Skates, with Carpenter chugging out sludgy riffs to Cunningham’s machine-gun fire drumming and Delgado’s methodic beats, ably backed by Vega’s throbbing bass lines and Moreno’s strangely dulcet screams carrying the performance along. When they played Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) from 1997’s “Around the Fur,” the audience transformed into a maelstrom of energy and emotion as they sang and slam-danced to every word. By the time the band launched into My Own Summer (Shove It) I don’t remember much, aside from dancing, screaming and yelling my lungs out to the very song that started my obsession in the first place, and occasionally pinching myself to prove that this was really happening.

Chino Moreno wowed the crowd by giving a lucky woman a kiss during Knife Party and going offstage to give the people in the back a chance to see him up close, resulting in a commotion akin to a shark-feeding frenzy. If there is anything that characterizes a Deftones show, it is the sheer electricity of the energy, both from the band and the audience alike.

The concert’s set list was a healthy mix of songs that spanned their discography, from their first album “Adrenaline” to “Koi No Yokan.” As part of the encore, Deftones performed Cherry Waves off 2006’s “Saturday Night Wrist” — a song that was originally not part of the set, but was requested at the press conference the day before, proving just how willing they are to put on a damn good show for their fans. The concert ended with 7 Words, with Moreno’s machine gun screaming and the deafening crescendo of cheers that followed.