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CONCERT REVIEW: Queens of the Stone Age @ Electric Factory 3/24
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CONCERT REVIEW: Queens of the Stone Age @ Electric Factory 3/24
Imagine it’s 1998 again: The sounds of post-grunge and pop boy-bands pollute the radio waves. Bill Clinton is in office, the economy is stable. We aren’t at war with three different Middle Eastern nations. That was also the year Queens of the Stone Age released their debut self-titled album. Creating what Josh Homme (former guitarist of legendary stoner-metal band Kyuss) describes as “desert rock,” Queens of the Stone Age was born as a stoner-band, complete with dark, grimy guitar riffs, distorted bass lines, and heavy drop-C tuning, but with an uncanny knack for writing catchy pop songs. In an attempt to bring back the feeling of ’98 and promote the reissue of their classic first record, Queens’ latest tour had them playing their debut in its entirety, along with a B-sides, rare tracks, and fan favorites from the entire Queens catalogue.
It was a packed house at the Electric Factory on Thursday night. The motley (and sometimes douchey) clumps of stoners were slammed up against each other, all fighting for a better spot to head bang. When Queens of the Stone Age took the stage they created not only an ambiance, but also a mindset with their stage and music. As blistering backlights burned behind the band and the hazy mix of fog and THC filled the room, it really felt as if you were in the deserts of Southern California watching a band zone out and jam. The towering 6 foot 3 Homme, along with guitarists Troy Van Leeuwen and Michael Shuman, drummer Joey Castillo, and bassist Dean Fertita, proceeded to rock the house with one classic after the other. Together, they played a set that you could not only hear, but also feel in the pit of your gut. The thick and heavy sound made you feel like you had motor oil running throughout your veins.
The set opened up with the debut record’s first track, “Regular John.” The solid, sludgy guitar riff droned on while the fuzzed-out leads piped in and out. The band marched on, playing the entire album straight through its entirety. The crowd reacted very well to songs like “If Only,” and “Mexicola,” as they thrashed all around the floor. Another song that was met with thunderous applause and approval was the classic B-side, “The Bronze:” a maddening highway rock song that can make you loose yourself in the guitar’s deep, heavy tone and spacey solos. After they finished up the first album, Queens played an encore of newer material like “Burn the Witch” and the mainstream hit “Little Sister.” Homme also allowed the audience to pick a song and the people unanimously selected “3’s and 7’s” off their latest record, “Era Vulgaris.” The show closed in spectacular fashion with what some consider the most well known Queens song, “No One Knows.”
The Queens of the Stone Age were a very tight and cohesive unit. You could really see the fire in their hazy eyes as they orchestrated their doom session that hit you in the stomach every time the bass drum was hit. The up-tempo songs brought you to a hot and desolate desert, while the slower ones were more reminiscent of a cold prairie night. You could feel the nostalgia brewing in the air and between the band members, especially Homme, who seemed honored to be playing his first album in front of a sold-out crowd. The band did a great job of bringing back the mindset and sound of the first album- it wasn’t today’s Queens playing yesterday’s album, it was yesterday’s band playing the album the way it was intended to be heard.
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