A gig that I have been looking forward to for the LONGEST time! Definitely in my top 10 gigs of the year so far and just what I needed during a particularly stressful week. Since listening to Queens Of The Stone Age's latest record ...Like Clockwork earlier this year, I've had my heart set on seeing them live. Their exceptional six album back catalogue provides more than enough material for the perfect setlist but man, I wouldn't have changed a thing - stellar setlist beginning to end. However, before I gush about the band, first the support...
The first support of the gig was a band called Sweethead. Despite the questionable name they were fantastic. Fronted by the hard-as-nails Serrina Sims; the band swaggered on stage and dropped right into the set with "Turned Our Backs". This intro definitely got my attention. As a support act I really wasn't expecting their set to be so 'professional' (shows how long it's been since I've been to an arena gig). Their backdrop actually covered the whole space behind them and the lighting was actually in-sync with their songs (and was pretty fancy at that). They played the entire set as if they were the ones headlining and I loved every second of it. The guitarist in particular made me smile as he was in a world of his own, leaping around and headbanging like no tomorrow. A great start to the show.
Then I thought that there would be a second support act (Band Of Skulls), so my friend and I stood waiting and waiting. They were taking a while and after some time I just wanted them to hurry up so that I could see Queens Of The Stone Age. Then, as if somebody read my mind, the lights dimmed and a huge image of a 60 second countdown appeared on a screen. I thought "I know the last support was fancy, but this is a bit too fancy for a support act", and just as I thought it, Josh Homme and the band walked on stage. The screams were deafening. Still in shock, I shakily lifted up my iPhone to try and get a video, but I could barely concentrate for a second to press record. As the countdown came to the point of 10, 9, 8... the crowd started to count along - 3, 2, 1! As soon as Jon Theodore started pounding out the opening drums for "Millionaire" the crowd was galvanised. I absolutely lost my mind. Mosh-pits broke out even before the rest of the band could start playing.
Before the crowd even had time to catch their breath after the first song, QOTSA were straight back in it with probably their biggest hit "No-One Knows"; the crowd chanting along with the well known riff while Josh's falsetto vocals floated over the arena. After punching through hit after hit, including "Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret" and "My God Is The Sun", the show slowed down a little with the latest album's title track "...Like Clockwork". The lights dimmed with only a couple of spotlights falling on Troy Van Leeuwen playing the keys and Josh, until the short but emphatic crescendo in the middle of the song where the whole band joined in and the stage was fully illuminated. In keeping with the slower segment of the gig, QOTSA played "In The Fade" and "If I Had A Tail" amongst others, to give the crowd a chance to catch their breath.
They slowly picked up the pace; playing through "Fairweather Friends", "Smooth Sailing", "Make It Wit Chu" and "I Appear Missing" before coming to a close with the absolute gem - "Go With The Flow". Backed by fantastic animations, lighting and effects the entire time, this show did not lose marks in any area. Things ended so abruptly that the crowd barely knew what to do with themselves - after an hour or so of blood, sweat and tears the crowd were tired out but still had some fight left. Good thing too because before long QOTSA popped back on stage to deliver a corker of an encore.
Easing the crowd in with their latest single "The Vampyre Of Time And Memory" the band then hammered straight through to the long awaited "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer" - I could feel arms being raised and feet leaving the ground before the first word was even sung. Despite the crowd's exhaustion, various circle pits broke out and full on carnage ensued. By this point I'd already lost half a thumbnail and busted my lip but I was ready for more. As faces turned feral and joints were lit, bodies were being tossed every which way, some surfing the crowd and others bashing away at air guitars. The crowd was in complete ecstasy backed by the 2 minute 43 second chant about various substances. Finally, the closer. "A Song For The Dead" produced some of the most maniacal behaviour of the night - everybody just lost it. On the screen, a flock of wild ravens flew in and out of synchronicity before becoming more and more crazed and completely engulfing the screen whilst the last few bars of the riff rang out. A theatrical and powerful way to end a flawless set.
Overall Rating - 10/10
Here are some pictures from the night...
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