Deftones delivered a rare treat for longtime fans during the latest edition of their annual Dia de los Deftones festival, bringing a song from their unfinished ‘Eros’ sessions back to the stage for the first time in nearly two decades.
The alternative metal veterans headlined the November 7 event at Petco Park in San Diego, California, performing a 20-song set that included the unexpected return of “Melanie.” The track appeared midway through the performance and had not been played live since the band performed it twice in 2008.
“Melanie” originally surfaced as part of the sessions for ‘Eros’, the Deftones album that was ultimately shelved before completion in the fall of 2008. Work on the record had initially been put on hold following a devastating car accident involving bassist/vocalist Chi Cheng, which left him in a coma.
Cheng never fully recovered from the injuries and complications stemming from the accident, passing away in 2013. The emotional weight surrounding that period has long been a significant part of the story behind ‘Eros’, with the band opting to leave the unfinished material untouched rather than revisit it.
The unreleased album subsequently developed an almost mythical reputation among fans. That interest was reignited this past June when unauthorized copies of ‘Eros’ and demo recordings associated with the band’s later ‘Ohms’ album reportedly surfaced online.
Deftones did not make much public comment about the leaks, but the decision to bring “Melanie” back into their live repertoire marks a notable moment for a song so closely connected to the band’s past. Whether the performance signals a broader willingness to revisit the ‘Eros’ material remains to be seen.
Fan-filmed footage of “Melanie” from the festival has surfaced online. The complete setlist from the performance is below.
Deftones – Dia de los Deftones 2026 Setlist:
- “Back To School (Mini Maggit)”
- “My Own Summer (Shove It)”
- “Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)”
- “Elite”
- “Diamond Eyes”
- “Sextape”
- “my mind is a mountain”
- “Swerve City”
- “Entombed”
- “Beauty School”
- “You’ve Seen The Butcher”
- “Rocket Skates”
- “Melanie”
- “i think about you all the time”
- “infinite source”
- “Change (In The House Of Flies)”
- “Around The Fur”
- “milk of the madonna”
Encore:
- “Cherry Waves”
- “Hexagram”
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