Deftones enlist a familiar guitarist for overseas shows

With Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter still opting out of international travel, the alternative metal band has had to rely on substitute guitarists for their overseas performances. Back in 2022, Carpenter declared that he would only join the band for domestic shows, which was speculated to be due to his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines and the associated travel restrictions. Carpenter has also been vocal about his views on flat earth theory and jet travel. Despite his ongoing reluctance to tour outside North America, the band has arranged for a new guitarist to join them for their upcoming concerts in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain.

What snapped me out of my dream was all the things to do with air travel and the flight routes and stuff like that. Because I literally just came back from being on a plane. You know I’ve looked out the windows left and right of planes for years now and I’ve always been like wow look how far you can see. And never in any of those viewings do I ever remember anything representing a globe be present. Like you just know that whether you’re over land or over the ocean it’s just a table down there. It’s just a table top. Stephen Carpenter

While Lance Jackman has been stepping in on guitar as needed, the group’s May 28th club show at La Riviera in Madrid, Spain, will feature another long-time associate. Shaun Lopez, a close friend of vocalist/guitarist Chino Moreno and his bandmate in Crosses, will be filling in for this performance. A fellow Sacramento native, Lopez rose to prominence alongside Deftones as a member of the post-hardcore band Far, among other groups. Additionally, Lopez and Moreno will be touring Europe and the UK with Crosses this spring and summer, directly following Deftones‘ two shows in Spain.

05/28 Madrid, SPA – La Riviera
05/30 Barcelona, SPA – Primavera Sound
08/03 Chicago, IL – Lollaplaooza
08/17 San Francisco, CA – Golden Gate Park (with System Of A Down, The Mars Volta, etc.)

This is being done while the band is working on their 10th studio album to be finished.