American alternative band Deftones announced its first iteration of a new festival, Dia de los Deftones.

Deftones at Dia de los Deftones by Kyoka Matsunaga

Deftones

Taking place in Petco Park in Downtown San Diego, guests were welcomed a grand entrance into the park with decorative Dia de los Muertos themes. Future, Mike Shinoda, Rocket From The Crypt, as well as the host band, all headlined the main stage performing in beautifully monochromatic red, purple, and black lighting.

The venue featured another stage setup for alternative and RnB openers such as Doja Cat, VeinH09909 and Voww. Not only were there many concertgoers proudly wearing their favorite band merch, but also many who participated in the festive occasion by donning skeleton makeup and costumes. Featured food included Phil’s BBQ, but Latin roots were also celebrated through many local San Diego owned businesses. With beautiful decorations and a large celebration of the arts, and of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos culture, not only was the venue comfortably-shaded for optimal relaxation out of the sun, but also a great change from tradition music festivals where alternative and metal music often doesn’t find a home in.

Photos and review by: Kyoka Matsunaga

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