In the six years since Queens of the Stone Age have been in Australia, it’s fair to say that a bit has happened. The world has changed in fundamental ways, we all had life-altering experiences and for Josh Homme, lead singer of the beloved QOTSA, he fought cancer – and won.
That sort of news is certainly reason to celebrate for the 50-year-old Californian and it’s made all the better when your band has just released their 8th album. In Times New Roman… is classic Queens – fuzzy, crunchy, loud, but also uplifting and heroic and exactly what we expect from a band that has remained consistent in their vision of ‘Just give em what they want!’
So, after already tripping around the country for a couple of weeks, they rocked up to Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion match-fit and hungry to perform – not just their old stuff, but all of it.
We were treated to a great set from Melbourne’s Gut Health to start the evening. “Uh Oh”, a clear stand-out from the group was the set starter before they steered through a set of eclectic style punk-pop songs that are hard to define. Think B-52s meets Devo meets Sonic Youth. They are a tight-knit act, despite having only formed in 2021, and lead singer, Athina Uh Oh, is a dynamo on stage. Shaking her head, stalking back and forth and hitting piercing notes as she belts out the lyrics.
“It’s great to be playing in the dark, like we’re used to!” declared Athina, whose band’s early outdoor sets have been played in afternoon sunshine on this tour. The dark and sweaty Hordern Pavilion suits their sound and as they round out their set with the visceral rhythms of their 8-minute track, “Stiletto” – a biting and sadly very relevant track about climate justice and the failed political system in this country – they won over a swath of new fans.
Pond are a national treasure and a band that have never received the accolades deserved, especially when compared to the band that members have switched in and out of – Tame Impala. Yes, there are plenty of similarities – the psychedelia, the pulsing rock, the multi-layered guitar and synths, but Pond have a pop element that Tame don’t and a front-man that you can’t take your eyes off.
Performing a range of tracks from their nine albums (!), they were in fine form and judging by the smiles on the band’s faces, they were enjoying themselves too. Jay Watson jumped seamlessly from guitar to keys to drums and provides a solid background for the band whilst Nick Allbrook does his thing up front. His quirky Jagger-esque dancing, his endearing banter and his searching vocals make the group irresistible.
New track, “Neon River”, from what we can assume will be their 10th album (maybe releasing this year?) is a perfect example of the synchronicity of the band, with vocals flowing between Watson and Allbrook to deliver a dreamy exploration in fuzz-laden pop-psych. They’re a superb band and one best delivered live.
“Hello motherfuckers, how are you?”
The somehow endearing greeting from lead singer, Josh Homme, to the packed Hordern Pavilion was delivered after a ball-tearing start to the QOTSA set, with “Regular John” and fan favourite, “No One Knows” warming us right up. Homme just has – a way- about him. His swagger, his voice, his rock stance, his raw passion with which he plays his guitar. The crowd hangs off his every word and hold as much gravitas as the band’s catalogue.
Speaking of the catalogue – it’s very large. 28 years and eight albums in, the band have amassed a collection of songs that range from sweet and loving to full-on heavy sludgy stoner rock. We got them all. One can never accuse the band of playing the same setlist every night. This tour has seen a huge array of songs and invariably more than one crowd request.
“We’ve come so far, I just wanna do whatever you want!” declared Homme. “I’ll derail this whole set!”. With the written setlist out the window, they blasted through “Avon”, the second track from their 1998 debut self-titled album – a song that –according to setlist.fm – has only been performed a handful of times in the last ten years. Similarly, “3’s & 7’s” from their 2007 “Era Vulgaris” record was a rare treat and sounded like they’d just rehearsed it specifically. One might have been disappointed that some songs weren’t played, (No “Feel Good Hit of the Summer”!), but when we heard the epic “Better Living Through Chemistry”, we are easily assuaged.
“Oh, you’re old-school!” announced Homme after hearing the requests being catapulted from the sweaty and pulsing pit. The crowd were certainly up for it, almost constantly moshing in the centre and harking back to the good ol’ days of the Hordern, a site for thousands of historic rock performances.
As nostalgic as QOTSA can be, there was plenty of room in the set for their new material and not only does it stand up solidly against their classic material, it made for memorable moments in the set. At the end of “Emotion Sickness”, the band stopped, Homme sang acapella and the crowd joined in. It was a beautiful moment and highlighted that this band ain’t done yet. “Time & Place” with the syncopated guitar backdrop to a frenzied solo from Homme was another song that cemented their continuing influence in the scene.
The crowd playfully joined in when Homme stopped and asked for some singing help in “Make It Wit Chu”. Hilariously, he asked for us to whisper it at one point, following it up with “That’s just fucking weird!”
There are moments in the show that also gave us a chance to marvel at all band members. Jon Theodore on drums is a primal rock to the whole outfit. Savage at times, tender at others. Michael Shuman on bass thunders around the stage, never missing an opportunity for a pose in front of the stage or a spin during choruses. Similarly, Troy Van Leeuwen is a demon on the guitar, at times overshadowed by Homme’s solos, but never taken for granted. Dean Fertita on keys and backing filled the gaps admirably – this is a band that knows how to put on a show and damn, they were so tight.
Homme admitted during the show that he was high. “Is that legal here?” he asked. How he then performed his killer solos with precision is something science will never be able to explain.
“Little Sister’ closed out the main set, before a three-set finale that concluded with the massive “A Song For the Dead” along with its multiple endings and a sweaty, hectic and frenetic mosh that was giving it one last push to the finish line.
It can be argued that, despite their age, Queens of the Stone Age are a band in their prime. With an ability to still write relevant songs, perform to the highest level and draw massive passionate crowds, they don’t appear to be stopping just yet and that’s a testament to a skilful and committed band as well as the ever-persistent recurring dawn of the ‘revival’ of rock music in the world. Whilst we still have QOTSA, it will never die.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Queens of the Stone Age continue The End Is Nero tour in the coming days. Catch them at Broadwater Parklands, Gold Coast on Feb 24th, Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane on Feb 25/26th, Spark Arena, Auckland on Feb 29th, and TSB Arena, Wellington on Mar 1st. More info and tickets HERE.
Header image credit: Jordan Munns
