With their cult-like legion of fans, it’s impossible to control the buzz around Melbourne when Queens of the Stone Age are in town. Their stay in Melbourne includes two massive arena shows, and anyone who attended last night (or is attending tonight) is privileged to have seen one of the best rock bands of the 00s absolutely smash it.
They kicked off festivities with ‘if I Had A Tail’ from their 2013 album …Like Clockwork. It was a solid opener for the band and one that set the wheels in motion for the standard of what could be expected for the rest of the night. The crowd were raring to go, and a fiery opener from QOTSA was exactly what they craved. They moved into another older track, ‘In My Head’, which is off of their 2005 album Lullabies to Paralyze.
After showcasing come of their much-loved older material, it was time to dive into their critically acclaimed 2017 album Villains. Though some dedicated fans may be a little wary when it comes to newer material, especially with the number of hits they’ve racked up, but, there’s no apprehension from fans when it comes to Villians — and the admiration in their faces and perseverance to scream every word is evidence of this very fact. First up was ‘Feet Don't Fail Me’, which was the overall fourth track they belted for the night. The hypnotic number produced a fine vocal moment for Homme and all we could do is stand in awe. They transitioned into ‘The Way You Used to Do’, which was full of buoyancy and provided yet another moment to go into a frenzy.
Towards mid-way in their set, they blasted one of their all-time-favourites ‘No One Knows’, and to describe the crowd as simply ‘excited’ would be an understatement. Despite having played the song thousands of times, hearing it live last night still has that hint of exhilaration as if it were new. The excitement of the crowd was evident in their humming of the instrumentals before any vocals appeared. After the crowd’s vocal performance of ‘No One Knows’, there’s going to be a lot of sore vocals from everyone who attended last night.
After the thrill of ‘No One Knows’, they launched into ‘The Evil Has Landed’, which saw the soaring energy levels continue.
The show wasn’t only an exhibition of their fine musicianship, but also their love and appreciation of the everyone in the room who loves them. Throughout breaks between songs, Homme would thank everyone for all their support and roaring energy, which was appreciated by those putting in a 110 per cent effort in. They were also able to squeeze in some cheeky banter, as well as a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ earlier in the set for Dean Fertita. Though their inspiring and spirited love for playing (and the degree of how well they play) never goes unnoticed, it’s the little moments between songs that draws fans in.
The rest of their set continued to bring the heat. The incredibly luscious and sensual ‘Smooth Sailing’ was impressive. ‘Someone's In The Wolf’ featured some fine guitar work from the lads, and ‘Go With the Flow’ was a fitting end to the conclusion of the initial part of their set — leaving the crowd desperately wanting one last taste before the night reaches the end. They ended things with a bang with their 2002-released track ‘A Song for the Dead’, fulfilling everyone's need for that final dose of QOTSA in their life for the night.
It doesn't matter how many times you’ve seen QOTSA, just like the finest of wines, they just keep on getting better.
Words and photos by Kristy Smolcic
You can still catch Queens of the Stone Age at these remaining shows:
8th September - Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne
9th September - Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
12th September - Perth/RAC Arena, Perth
