Queens of the stone age – Adelaide 9th September – Kay Cann
It’s not too often you find yourself lining up for a show 8+ hours before doors open but that is exactly where I found myself on a sunny Sunday in Adelaide. Why? Well there is a certain nostalgia about doing this that sadly feels lost, perhaps somewhere in the stone ages? (Yes I just went there) besides I had one of the worlds biggest Queens Of The Stone Age fans staying with me from interstate and she insisted. QOTSA however, did live up to the unwritten extra expectation you hope for when you have been waiting so long for something. The wait to land a barrier spot was worth the effort along with a bonus of new friends made on the outside.
The Chats soon bounded onto stage and teared straight into a 20min warm up set packed with smiles, pub banter and questions about lung infections and Clyamidia which although cringeworthy at the thought it just somehow worked. This is a band from the Sunshine Coast who have that true blue bogan pub punk rock air about them. It was fun but over a tad too fast with the growing crowd getting right into Smoko and ending with Billy Backwash.
CW Stoneking bringing a completely different feel to the room had a tough job ahead. Although it seemed a really odd fit to follow with the Blues, this 7 piece band found it’s way. Although not to everyones taste I could also see the fit knowing that QOTSA would vibe along to CW Stoneking in their own time. It was brilliant to see Vika and Linda Bull on backup bringing their dynamic moves and huge smiles. I would personally like to catch CW Stoneking again in the future but perhaps with a Red wine in hand.
Queens Of The Stone Age strode onto the stage with a swagger that made us wet our lips and brace ourselves ready for the fun times ahead. Immediately kicking it off with a near 10min rendition Someone’s In The Wolf followed straight after by Sick, Sick, Sick the long wait spent outside was now a distant memory.
Despite the fact the show didn’t sell out which is sadly often the case in Adelaide, with a burning cigarette in hand Homme was crystal clear when he paid homage to Adelaide being the best city in Australia and is the city that feels like Australia, stating that places like Melbourne were just like any other city in the world and that this is where you can still be eaten by a shark in the water. Homme claimed he didn’t know how the rest of the night would go but Adelaide was still the place that is Australia. He then told those in the seats up top that if they wanted to come down to the floor they could and instructed security to let people in who wanted to.
It was clear the band were in a mood for fun and there was hell to pay if you yawned for a second like one striped shirt lady who caught the attention of Josh Homme. Hommes playfully called her David when he didn’t catch her actual name and proceeded to stir, dim the lights and put them up again. They dedicated Leg Of Lamb to the people in the front with the sign (thanks to our arts and crafts session in the line outside) and although Hommes said that a simple text on paper would have been enough you could tell they were all impressed.
We were treated to countless happy kicks to the air from Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita came away from the keys to play a bit of guitar and there was solos from guitarist Troy Van Leeuween and drummer Jon Theodore. The light up LED poles were often swinging on stage from kicks and dance moves.
There was a great mix of new and old tracks and all seemed well received by the crowd in a perfect seamless blend. Queens have been on the scene for 20 years since their debut album and their performance shows they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The crowd swarmed, the punters gave a stream of crowd surfers over the barrier. There was noted clapping in time and sing-a-longs . The band responded with genuine waves and direct eye contact with the night ending with a classic deliberate leap into the drum kit by Hommes mid song. Perfect dirty sweaty rock.
With just one final show left in Perth for this Australian tour we are already waiting for the next return to our soils. Thank you QOTSA for another memorable evening.
QOTSA Setlist:
1. Someone’s in the wolf
2. Sick, Sick, Sick
3. Feet don’t fail me
4. The way you used to do
5. A song for the deaf
6. No one knows
7. The evil has landed
8. In the fade
9. My god is the sun
10. Leg of lamb
11. Domesticated animals
12. Make it with chu
13. If I had a tail
14. Little sister
15. Go with the flow
16. Encore: A song for the dead
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