Deftones / AFI @ SEC, Glasgow, 7 May

Despite being decades past their peak popularity, Deftones still pack a mighty punch. To those not paying attention, it may seem strange that two bands who were popular well over a decade ago could still pack out a large venue such as the SEC. And yet, here we are on a warm Sunday evening, several thousand of us eagerly anticipating the arrival of two bands best known (however fairly) as part of the nu-metal and emo phases, Deftones and AFI respectively. Both bands have retained a cult following based on neither losing what made themselves exciting or interesting in the first place, even though most of the crowd tonight are clearly around the 30-year-old mark.

This said, it is telling that AFI – a band of a reasonable size in their own right at one time – are supporting here. While there is a fair amount of crossover interest between the two bands, there are a small selection of fans who are clearly here for the support, and still hold their 2003 break-out Sing the Sorrow very dearly in their hearts. The Californian horror-punks are only too aware of this, opening with the rock nightclub favourite Girl's Not Grey. 

There is a feeling throughout the band's newer material, however, that since 2006's decemberunderground AFI have been attempting to reach the crossover success of Green Day, perhaps proven by their biggest hit of the night Miss Murder. Nothing else in this largely 'by-the-numbers' set quite has the same impact, with only older fan-favourite The Days of the Pheonix showing a glimpse of the enchanting band they once were.

Deftones, by comparison, have a much larger wealth of iconic songs to fall back on. However, it can also be argued they never really compromised or diluted their sound, which may well be why the Californian five-piece remain one of the few bands from the nu-metal era with even a degree of respectability.

Throughout their career, Deftones have always eluded easy categorization. They are predominantly a metal band, yes, but their use of shoegaze production techniques and pop melodies has always made them a far more interesting prospect than many others; not many bands can melt your face while also inspiring you to sing along every word to the top of your lungs. The band seem all too aware of this, packing the early-going (and latter stages) of their set with tracks from the career-defining White Pony, opening with Feiticeira and later treating the crowd to rarer outings of Knife Party and Digital Bath. 

As a stage presence, frontman Chino Moreno's endearing warmth is so ever-present he receives a couple of "Chino!" chants between songs as he hops around, switching back and forth from guitarist to vocalist and visibly enjoying himself – not bad considering he broke his foot a few days prior. If there is a criticism to be levelled to the band tonight, it is that the middle section of their set drags a little, with a bit of a reliance on newer material and no break. As there is no poor Deftones album, the band can (and do) form a setlist of tracks taken from across their 25-year career. However, there is a large block of newer songs in the middle of tonight's set that would have benefited from one or two older songs dropped in, just to keep the attention of everyone in attendance in full swing.

This is a fairly minor problem, as by the end of the night the crowd are enamoured once again when the big hitters – Change, Be Quiet and Drive, Minerva and yes, even Back to School – get paraded out. There is a reason this band and these songs have survived – trends come and go, but Deftones have a timeless quality coupled with a lack of pretension. As Prince's Purple Rain blasts over the PA to see a happy and nostalgic crowd back into the warm Glasgow air, they're safe in the knowledge that after all these years, Deftones have still got it.