In March, longtime Deftones bassist Sergio Vega — also of NYC post-hardcore stalwarts Quicksand — announced that he had split with the group after 12 years and four albums with the band. The news opened up a big question: Who would be playing bass for the Deftones on the alt-metal stalwarts' big, much-delayed 2022 tour, their first since the pandemic and first in support of their latest LP, 2020's Ohms?
That question was answered tonight (April 14th) at Portland, Oregon's Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where the Deftones kicked off the long-awaited trek. Gojira and VOWWS opened the festivities, and then the headliners hit the stage, revealing Fred Sablan as their new live bass player. Sablan is best known as the former bassist for Marilyn Manson, from 2010 to 2014. He has played bass on tour for Chelsea Wolfe in 2017 and Peter Hook and the Light in 2018, and is a member of the punk-rock supergroup Heavens Blade alongside Youth Code singer Sara Taylor, Rob Zombie bassist Piggy D. (on guitar) and Suicide Silence drummer Alex Lopez.
