Photo: Justine Trickett
Josh Homme and company are one of those bands that have been around for a long time, from the Kyuss days, to Rated R to Songs For The Deaf they are an entity that has lived on the peripherary of the music scene. Yet through their ups and downs, with Like Clockwork they have risen from the ashes and proven themselves to be a true rock and roll force to be reckoned with.
Cue iTunes festival which so far has seen Lady Gaga and Paramore tear up the stage, last night it was the turn of the Queens and they certainly didn't dissappoint. It's a billing that seems to have emphasised the importance of Queens of the Stone Age in the ever on going argument of the future of 'rock and roll'. In short they are 'it'. An uncompromosing force that has survived through various eras from Nu-Metal, to 90s art rock to present days mulch of genres. They have never changed and never will, evolving from a cult following to a top ten headline band to truly be reckoned with.
Herein lies the crux of this review, which will say nothing but they were one of the best live bands that has ever graced the stage of The Roundhouse. There is something untimely about their sound with it's roots in rythm, blues and metal, it is a formula that translates perfectly into the live environment. From 'I Sat By The Ocean' to 'Little Sister', 'No One Knows' and 'Smooth Sailing' the set was beautifully choreographed. Not in an artifical sense however, more that their amassed experience and banter with the crowd left them almost toying with the audience only to give them want they want. The encore of 'Song For The Dead' being a textbook example of how to whip the crowd into a frenzy with the machine gun riff cutting in and out for an almighty crescendo.
Ultimately there is an uncanny brilliance to what they brought to the stage last night, fully realised by the band reaching an apex in their career. They have been through a lot over the years, symptomatic of the various line-up changes. Yet Josh Homme remains at the eye of the storm pushing a truly unique musical vision. Last night they showed that, the only bits missing were 'Fell Good Hit of the Summer' and 'Better Living Through Chemistry'. All the more reason go see them again then!
