System of A Down and Deftones Converge at Golden Gate Park

System of a Down and Deftones are both known for high energy live shows, but after two decades in the business no one would blame them if their vibrancy petered off. This wasn't the case on Saturday though, as about 50,000 fans, many from out-of-state, gathered at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park for a double dose of heavy, melodic tunes, all amidst a cool setting; predictably, ticketholders enjoyed some Bay Area drizzle with the music.

Deftones’ lead singer Chino Moreno was bouncing all over the place and SOAD’s Serj Tankian hopped along with the crowd as they played their epic pogo anthem “Bounce.” The Mars Volta, Viagra Boys and Vowws, also joined the high-octane festival which ran as smooth as butter, from parking to sound quality, unlike the poorly planned No Values festival.

The people-watching was fun as expected – I spotted a unicorn and a rocking Super Mario and Luigi couple – but folks didn’t spend $170- $400 at the event, a follow up to the previous weekend's Outside Lands festival, to gawk at the cool kids. Fortunately, the bands did not disappoint. Australia's Vowws opened the show with a synth-heavy, goth pop vibe. Lead singer Rizz was decked out in the requisite black garb. She also wore what looked like Sponge Bob slippers but turned out to be Crayola yellow sneakers, perhaps in an attempt to not be taken too dark or serious.

Viagra Boys was next. The Swedish band's lead singer, Sebastian Murphy hails from the Bay Area, which didn’t matter since their sound was other-worldly. Strutting shirtless and showcasing a body full of tattoos, Murphy worked up the crowd, bringing to mind interactive singers such as Idles’ Joe Talbot.

Then the time warp began. As if stepping out of a DeLorean, The Mars Volta looked as fresh as the band did in its infancy. Singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala had the vigor of a 20-year-old and his voice was in top form.

Amazingly, so was Moreno's and Tankian's. Maybe San Francisco has a reinvigorating magic that helps musicians perform at their best? Zavala blasted through Volta's “L’Via L’Viaquez” with Spanish fury.

Not to be outdone, Sacramento's Deftones quickly cranked up the show to 11, opening with “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away).” The audience sang along to nearly every song. Running from one end of the stage to the other, Moreno exuded kinetic energy on stage. By the time the band closed with “7 Words,” fans were hyped and ready for the final act.

System, Glendale’s pride and joy hasn’t performed much lately. Their last album released is nearly 20 years old. Some thought their touring days were over, which may explain why tickets sold out within minutes. Getting to see the members playing together on stage was a pleasant surprise. They started with a relatively new track, “Genocidal Humanoidz” (released in 2020) and never let up.

Even the ballad “Lonely Day” had an urgency you couldn’t escape. They wisely were short on gab and heavy on setlist, playing more than two dozen favorites. The group is at a stage in their career where years of experience playing together makes for a natural chemistry; and they rocked effortlessly.

Given the S.F. festival’s success, let's hope SOAD see the potential to please more fans around the country (and the world) with additional live dates. New songs would be great, too. In the meantime, Tankian just released a solo single, " Justice Will Shine On ," with a full album on the way, and Angelenos can check out his latest business endeavor in Eagle Rock called Kavat Coffee .