Freestyling on the mic

	Chino Moreno of Team Sleep

TEAM SLEEP
STRIKE HIM CENTURIUM

Recher Theatre
Towson, MD.
May 29, 2005

By JEFF MAKI

This show was on Team Sleep's club tour following the release of their long awaited debut CD. Best described as atmospheric/alternative rock, Team Sleep is a side project of the Deftones' Chino Moreno.

The opening band, Strike Him Centurium, left a lot to be desired.  The band is but a three-piece, playing 10-minute instrumentals, which all seemed to sound exactly the same. No vocals, no lights on stage, just three dudes up there playing tiresome songs that seemed to last forever. I don't think there was a bit of movement from any member of the band. Talk about boring! They were one of the worst bands I've ever seen live. Maybe their music would be something to have on in the background, but it didn't go over well live. Hey guys, how about a lyric or two? Maybe a little gesture from someone on stage? Give us something!  We came to see a show, not three dudes standing on a stage, boring the hell out of us. Needless to say, avoid this band at all costs. Sorry guys, you suck.

The crowd was here to see Chino more than Team Sleep, and Chino they got. He is the centerpiece of Team Sleep, handling guitars and vocals. Think of the Deftones' softer material, throw in some keyboards and atmosphere, and you get Team Sleep. They put on a decent show, not the most exciting, but enough to keep you interested. Songs were hard to distinguish from one another, mostly because I hadn't heard the CD before the show. Nothing heavy at all here -- this is music for you and your girl to take in or to listen to on a car ride. That's not to say it's bad; it's just different and far removed from the Deftones. The band wasn't terribly exciting on stage, but they delivered a decent show, the highlight being Chino leading the crowd in a handclap while he freestyled.

The best part of the night was meeting Chino and the rest of Team Sleep after the show. If you bought the Team Sleep CD on the way in, you were guaranteed to meet the band. I wish more bands would take time out to do this because it makes a concert much more memorable for the fans.

If you want something original and different from all the metalcore and rap-metal out there today, I recommend Team Sleep. Pick up their CD and catch them live if you can. Good show.