Lanterns, candles, a thin veil of mist, a glass of red wine, and what appeared to be a meat cleaver in Josh Homme’s right hand.
The epitome of goth, these were just a small collection of features present at Queens Of The Stone Age’s Royal Albert Hall offering.
This wasn’t any old QOTSA show. This time, Homme decided he wanted to do something a little bit more alternative, which the band had certainly already accomplished in releasing their EP, Alive from the Catacombs, in June. This intimate run of shows takes that concept and runs with it.
Looming beneath Paris, Homme had long been fascinated and inspired by the Catacombs in equal measure.
‘You’re looking at this wall of skulls and you think these eyes have seen things, these mouths have kissed somebody, these ears have heard,’ Homme recalled as part of an interview with Mr Porter earlier this year, noting that the experience was ‘humbling.’ He even made a promise to the embedded skeletons that he’d ‘try as hard’ as he could in life.
That sentiment was abundantly clear last night, as Homme labelled life a ‘chaotic, difficult cornucopia of s***’ – but it’s something he rocked through anyway. What’s life without a bit of mischief?
With a set divided into three acts, this had everything: No One Knows might’ve been missing from the setlist, but fans were treated to A Song For The Deaf and Mosquito Song, propelled into brilliance with the addition of extra strings and brass.
This isn’t the first time I’ve witnessed their genius. A quiet rebellion, I decided instantly that I would abandon the historic Pyramid Stage set from Elton John at Glastonbury 2023 for QOTSA’s Other Stage set; the gig that was touted as a farewell after more than 50 years in pop music.
As I watched the fireworks from a distance while Rocket Man played, mosh pits wrestled around me. Tears were shed, and there was a collective sense of genuine euphoria that we’d all made it there, despite it, naturally, resembling a slightly slimmer crowd than the more obvious choice of the evening.
I had no regrets, and felt that, in our own way, everyone who chose to be at that set instead had made an alternative kind of history. ‘My name is Elton John,’ Josh Homme smiled in jest over the mic, staunchly and yet somehow comically aware that the masses had descended upon the Pyramid. But really, we were all equal winners that night.
Two and a half years on, Queens of the Stone Age reached new limits last night – and, dare I say, I never thought that anything could beat their Glastonbury set, but this did. Homme is still one of the most charismatic figures in rock music, and there was barely a corner of that venue left untouched by him.
He was everywhere; haunting up and down the pit, and sneaking his way up to the gallery behind, where the restricted-view seats – and 19th-century organ – stood. He even jested with a security guard up in the stalls, smirking: ‘I don’t need protection, I need affection.’
This might’ve been the Albert Hall, the infamous home of the Proms, but that didn’t stop the raucous creeping in. Playful jeers were heard from across the auditorium, everything from cat calls to requests for him to just play a D minor chord. Of course, Homme corrected them instantly: “It’s D major, a**hole.”
Last night, Queens confirmed what we already knew: they’re one of the rock greats. And, as they fittingly finished on an extravagant version of Long Slow Goodbye, the audience breathed one final gasp as the mystery organist turned around. Of course: Matt Berry.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.