Queens of the Stone Age shook the crowd from head to toe with their electric performance captivating fans at Observatory North Park.
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age played two nights in town to assuage the hoard of seething fans. The crowd was anxious and aggressive, getting upset at anyone who failed to live completely in the moment or who attempted to capture it on video. The band came to the stage bathed in beams of white light and walked in between light sticks that danced at the slightest human contact. The sounds of the “robot rockers” shocked our ears as we eagerly received them.
There was a point when frontman Josh Homme reminded us how lucky we were to be nestled between the mountains and the sea, leading into the heady notes of “I Sat by the Ocean.” Throughout the set, songs would end with magnificent eighties-inspired drum solos that brought all eyes to Jon Theodore; at the end of the solos Josh would shout into the mic “He’s from San Diego!” causing an additional eruption of already deafening screams.
The new album Villians perfectly encapsulates the signature sound of the band. It’s filled with electronic influences fused with a gritty rock sound. Hearing “Domesticated Animals” live, with its driving drum beat leading the maddening riffs and dynamic bass line exploding into the chorus, demonstrating the evolution of the band. The song describes the cattle mentality of our society, the blind following of the rules handed down to us. Filled with passion, Homme addressed the audience with the message that as long as we didn’t hurt anyone, we could do whatever we want. Take it from the best live band on Earth: do what you need to do in this life, particularly if it involves finding a way to see them live.
