Sacramento metal legends Deftones have brought their high-octane live shows to arena venues across North America, marking their first headline tour since 2022. Vis a Vis has harnessed the band’s raw energy and translated into its dynamic live production, ensuring the audience experiences unique moments every night. This is achieved through careful, intentional direction, paired with a high-quality, flexible live production system, including robotic camera systems, PPU and engineering rack, and disguise media servers.

The show’s direction takes its lead from the Deftones’ electrifying performance, which can be gritty and noisy at times, but also full of life and passion. Big guitar moments and spontaneous, light-hearted interactions among the band members are captured with intention and precision. Two B60 Blackcam rail systems flank the angled thrusts of the stage, helping to shoot all of these very different elements during the show, as the operators can quickly get to where they need to be ready to catch a close up of a guitar for a raw and dangerous feel. For the more ethereal and epic moments, the pace can be slowed down to present graceful and cinematic segments. 

FOH coverage is through a pair of URSA Minis with 90x Canon long lenses. A series of four Blackmagic Micro Studio Cameras are also dotted around the stage to get up close when the band is deep into the music, perfectly positioned to make the biggest visual impact.

The stage design is unconventional, in that it doesn’t feature IMAG side screens. Instead, all of Vis a Vis Video’s camera and direction work is integrated into upstage LED walls and an automated X LED that comes from above the stage. Graphics are delivered seamlessly through a disguise D3 media server, also taking in six inputs from the Vis a Vis live production system.

Deftones’ show is super graphic and by letting the look of the song and content influence what the Vis a Vis team needs to serve up to match the emotional intensity on-stage, the live production becomes an integral part of the show at large, amplifying the experience for everyone in the arena.

“Chino Moreno is full of energy. He’s drenched in sweat screaming and singing his heart out every night. To witness that, connect and get an amazing shot to share with the thousands in the room on a nightly basis is really special.”