The creative force of Deftones' frontman Chino Moreno and multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez continue to mount an impactful campaign since the release of their first full length studio album in nine years with the arrival of 2023's Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.
Propelled by the success of previewing singles in "Invisible Hand", "Light As A Feather" and "Ghost Ride" the 15-track presentation earned acclaim as one of the most compelling deliveries of the year - asserting the range of Moreno and the songwriting acumen of Lopez.
Following the duo's initial run of special engagements in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco surrounding their appearance at Darker Waves Festival in Southern California last year, the band announced their comprehensive Familiar World Tour - marking their first lengthy run in many years.
Thus far, the run has been received with overwhelming acclaim - seeing sold out shows across the country on the band's 24-date trek. Among the more prestigious stops including in the routing was a headlining set at famed Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
Assembling a comprehensive set of tracks spanning the entirety of the Crosses catalog, Moreno and Lopez emphatically framed their unique cohesion as line-minded creatives. As commanding as ever, Moreno thrived in the more intimate environment of the Palladium stage than that of the usual Deftones-sized productions. The frontman's uncanny ability to soar vocally while nurturing the energy exchange among the fans on the floor is part of what makes him one of the best in the game.
As for Lopez, his stage presence reiterated just how integral he is to the totality of the project. Diligently controlling the tempo of the set, the multi-instrumentalist jumped from guitars to keys and synth the kind of skilled hand of a conductor - commanding the cadence of the two hour set.
Entries like "Vivien", the stylishly dark "Girls Float + Boys Cry", the 90's trip-hop tinged "Bitches Brew" and the bounce of "Ghost Ride" all tallied some of the evening's most memorable highlights while underscoring the broad stylistic scope that best characterizes Crosses.
Remerging for their encore with a bit of flair provided by a sample of Prince's "Housequake" the band unloaded an emphatic punctuation on the night. Keeping it uptempo "Telepathy", Crosses countered with the gorgeous gloom of "Option" - a track that drove home the kind of melodic mesmerism that Crosses do all too well.
See the collection of images from photographer Steve Rose from the Hollywood Palladium performance below. See the dates of the Familiar World Tour as Crosses performs in Europe for the first time ever.
CROSSES
