That Time Chino Moreno Played Three Songs Inside an Icelandic Volcano

In 2017, Deftones singer Chino Moreno played a three-song solo set inside Þríhnúkagígur, a dead volcano near Reykjavík, Iceland — reportedly the first public performance ever staged inside a volcano. The show came about during Deftones' trip to Iceland's Secret Solstice Festival, the band's first-ever visit to the country, according to a roundup by Far Out Magazine.

How you get 400 feet down

Getting there was its own ordeal. The 20 attendees first hiked roughly two hours across lava terrain, then rode a repurposed window-washing lift down 400 feet into the volcano's crater over six minutes. Þríhnúkagígur last erupted around 4,000 years ago, but its magma chamber never collapsed, leaving behind a cavern large enough to fit a landmark building inside.

Three songs, no band

Moreno didn't bring the rest of Deftones down with him — he went in alone with an electric guitar for a stripped-down, three-song set: Deftones' "Change," a Morrissey cover, and a track from David Bowie's final album, Blackstar. Moreno said that when he was first invited, he was more focused on the idea of descending into a volcano than on the performance itself. He said he was still figuring out what to play in his hotel room the day of, and admitted his nerves came from the stripped-down setup — "just me playing with an electric guitar."

An opener using the volcano's natural echo

Icelandic singer-songwriter Snorri Helgason opened the show, performing from atop a large rock inside the cave and using the volcano's natural reverb. Before playing, he noted that the 4°C temperature inside would push his guitar sharp and his harmonica flat.

The descent and the price

The lift carried only eight people at a time, so attendees went down in groups, passing different colored layers of volcanic rock on the way. A single ticket cost around £1,380 — roughly £460 per song. One attendee, who said entering the volcano had been a lifelong dream, cried during the descent.

A coast guard helicopter after the show

Weather on the surface deteriorated sharply after the performance, and the helicopter that was supposed to pick everyone up couldn't return. Because Moreno had another scheduled show that same night, Iceland's coast guard stepped in, flying him by helicopter to an airport before he continued on to the venue. By his own account, he went straight from the helicopter to the stage.