Queens of the Stone Age

April 30, 2008

P.N.E Forum

 queens2.jpg

Thirteen years ago in the midst of one band breaking up another emerged regrouping and forming under the name ‘Gamma Ray’. Throughout the years, ‘Gamma Ray’ has seen various line up changes, toured the world, tasted mainstream commercial success, released five studio albums, and morphed into the multiple Grammy nominated band otherwise known today as Queens Of The Stone Age.

 

Fast forward to April 2008, QOTSA released a limited tour edition of Era Vulgaris in Canada. In support, the band headed back on the road touring Canada coast to coast with the first stop for a sold out crowd in Vancouver. 

 

While waiting for the headliners to hit the stage concert goers packed onto the floor in a thick wave of heat, sweat, and smoke. The stage was decked out with gothic chandeliers hanging above and a red curtain behind a sparkling screen creating the vibe of a night sky. After opening act Mugison, Queens of the Stone Age sauntered onstage kicking off their set with “Regular John”.

 

QOTSA tore through their 80 minute set with a mix of tracks from all albums including “Sick, Sick, Sick”,” Go with the Flow”, “ 3’s and 7’s”, “Infinity” and “Little Sister”. Homme piped up to dedicate “Make it Wit Chu” to “all the beautiful ladies” packed into the Forum.

 

I only have two complaints from the show: one being the lack of stage banter and two being the poor sound quality from bad acoustics at the Forum and technical problems. Front man and creative force behind the band, Josh Homme barely interacted with the audience. Homme stayed reserved and super quiet, only throwing in a “hello”, a few “thank you’s” and an odd sentence here and there. Homme actually acknowledged his quiet demeanor stating, “not much to say tonight, but I hope your having a good time” before closing the night with “No One Knows”.

 

After QOTSA walked offstage, audiences lingered around for the expected encore, and after a few brief minutes the band returned, picked up their instruments one more time for the tracks “ You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, but I Feel like A Millionaire”, and “ Song for the Dead”.

 

Queens of the Stone Age, while they didn’t blow me away, they definitely know how to entertain. Live performances need to find that perfect balance between playing straight up good live music versus the spectacle side of the performance; and while QOTSA lacked in the showman column they make it for in gritty, raw, dirty, rock‘n’ roll.  Look out for the ‘Queens’ as they hit up the rest of the country before heading off to Europe in late May.