RECAP: DEFTONES KICK OFF THEIR NORTH AMERICAN TOUR IN VANCOUVER
Updated: Oct 22
After a 13-year absence, Deftones made their long-awaited return to Vancouver Friday night with a set that was as blistering as it was historic. The band kicked off the second leg of their 2025 North American tour at Rogers Arena in support of their newly released album Private Music, debuting several tracks for the first time in front of a live audience and reminding the city exactly why their name still echoes across generations of heavy music.
Photos by Tage Stenner / Backspin HQ
The last time Deftones played Vancouver was October 14, 2012, at the Commodore Ballroom. It was a different venue, a different crowd, and a different era. Friday marked their nineteenth performance in the city, dating all the way back to August 30, 1995, when they played Warped Tour. Since then, few bands have remained this relevant while continuing to evolve their sound. With the launch of this new chapter, Deftones made it clear that Private Music is not a detour. It is a mission.
By 9:15, house lights cut and the crowd erupted. One by one, the band walked on stage to a wall of noise. Last to appear was frontman Chino Moreno, who stormed onto the catwalk and wasted no time diving straight into Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away). The reaction was immediate and deafening. My Own Summer (Shove It) followed, turning the floor into a pit of bodies, movement, and crowd surfers. Vancouver has seen its share of heavy shows, but Rogers Arena has not experienced this level of physicality in quite some time.
Deftones used Vancouver not just to launch a tour, but to introduce their newest sound to a live audience for the first time. Three tracks from Private Music - my mind is a mountain, infinite source, and milk of the madonna, made their live debuts, each showcasing different edges of the album’s personality. my mind is a mountain opened with a hypnotic, layered riff that eventually gave way to a crushing breakdown. infinite source leaned dreamlike before tearing wide open with explosive clarity. milk of the madonna was the darkest of the three, a slow-building crawl that erupted with noise and grit.
Classic tracks were woven between the new. Diamond Eyes, Tempest, Digital Bath, and Sextape each served as emotional resets between the heavier moments, pulling the audience into quieter reflection before Chino pulled them right back into the fire with Rocket Skates, Around the Fur, and Headup.
Midway through the set, Chino stepped forward and took a breath. “I dedicate this song to a very dear friend,” he said. “Mr Brent Hinds.” The crowd fell silent as he referred to the Mastodon guitarist who tragically passed away two nights earlier in a motorcycle accident. The band then launched into Entombed, a haunting 2012 cut that felt especially heavy in that moment. It was the kind of tribute that did not need flowers or projection screens. It just needed honesty.
For the encore, Deftones returned with Cherry Waves, a deep cut that floated across the arena in waves of echo and delay. That gave way to Engine No. 9, which lit the pit back up for one last surge of chaos. They closed the night with 7 Words, a track that still hits like it did in 1995, but somehow feels more charged now than ever before.
This is the second run for Deftones in 2025. The first came earlier this year with The Mars Volta and Fleshwater. In between, they hit select festivals and returned to the studio to finalize their new material. This fall, they continue across North America before eventually heading to Europe and the UK in early 2026.
But none of that mattered Friday night. What mattered was the sound, the sweat, and the fact that Vancouver waited over a decade to see this band return. It was worth every second.
North American Tour Dates
August 24 - Edmonton, AB at Rogers Place
August 25 - Calgary, AB at Scotiabank Saddledome
August 27 - Winnipeg, MB at Canada Life Centre
August 29 - Minneapolis, MN at Target Center
August 30 - Milwaukee, WI at Fiserv Forum
September 1 - Buffalo, NY at Key Bank Center
September 3 - Toronto, ON at Rogers Stadium
September 5 - Toronto, ON at Rogers Stadium
September 7 - Quebec City, QC at Centre Vidéotron
September 8 - Montreal, QC at Bell Centre
September 10 - Cleveland, OH at Rocket Arena
September 11 - Baltimore, MD at CFG Bank Arena
September 13 - St Louis, MO at Enterprise Center
September 15 - Denver, CO at Ball Arena
September 17 - Kansas City, MO at T-Mobile Center
September 19 - Atlanta, GA at Shaky Knees 2025
September 20 - Louisville, KY at Louder Than Life 2025
October 3 - Sacramento, CA at Aftershock 2025
November 1 - San Diego, CA at Dia De Los Deftones 2025
November 16 - México, Mexico at Corona Capital 2025
Gallery
*Additional photos by Clemente Ruiz*
Related coverage on Backspin HQ: Deftones 2025 North American Tour Dates, Shaboozey Vancouver: Outlaws Never Die Tour 2026 Review and aespa Vancouver 2026 Review: SYNK COMPLæXITY at Rogers Arena.
Deftones 2025 North American Tour Vancouver Concert FAQ
When did Deftones play Rogers Arena in Vancouver?
Deftones played Rogers Arena in Vancouver on a Friday night in August 2025. The show kicked off the second leg of their 2025 North American tour in support of Private Music.
When did Deftones last play Vancouver before this show?
Deftones last played Vancouver on October 14, 2012, at the Commodore Ballroom. The 2025 show was their nineteenth in the city, dating back to Warped Tour on August 30, 1995.
Did Deftones debut new songs in Vancouver?
Yes, Deftones played three songs from Private Music live for the first time: 'my mind is a mountain', 'infinite source' and 'milk of the madonna'.
What songs did Deftones play in Vancouver in 2025?
Deftones opened with 'Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)' and 'My Own Summer (Shove It)', and also played 'Diamond Eyes', 'Tempest', 'Digital Bath', 'Sextape', 'Rocket Skates', 'Around the Fur' and 'Headup'. The encore was 'Cherry Waves', 'Engine No. 9' and '7 Words'.
Who did Deftones dedicate a song to in Vancouver?
Chino Moreno dedicated 'Entombed' to Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds, who had died in a motorcycle accident two nights earlier.
Where did Deftones go after Vancouver?
After Vancouver, Deftones played Rogers Place in Edmonton on August 24, 2025, followed by Calgary and Winnipeg.