Prepare to discover heretofore unknown dimensions of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE this fall on “The Catacombs Tour” — a limited series of very special one-night-only evenings at a curated selection of North America’s most historic theaters.
The conception of “The Catacombs Tour” was inspired in large part by the bandmembers’ collective experience during the creation of their “Alive In The Catacombs” cinematic and musical opus. Comprised of all-new arrangements crafted specifically for the occasion, “The Catacombs Tour” will see QOTSA draw upon the spirit of those sublime subterranean renditions and infuse it into reimagined versions that promise to twist the volume knob in both directions. Enhanced by assembled ensembles, the end result will be a precious few unique and intimate performances unlike any previous QOTSA tour.
Tickets for QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE‘s “The Catacombs Tour” will be on sale at qotsa.com beginning June 27 at 10 a.m. local time. Appropriate dress is encouraged — you’ll want to look as good as the music is going to sound on this very special evening at the theater.
The European leg of “The Catacombs Tour” will be announced shortly.
“The Catacombs Tour” 2025 North American dates:
Oct. 02 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
Oct. 03 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
Oct. 05 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
Oct. 07 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met
Oct. 08 – Boston, MA – Wang Theatre – Boch Center
Oct. 10 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Nov. 08 – Santa Barbara, CA – Arlington Theatre
Nov. 10 – San Francisco, CA – Davies Symphony Hall
Nov. 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Dolby Theater
Nov. 19 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
Nov. 21 – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
Filmed and recorded in July 2024, “Queens Of The Stone Age: Alive In The Catacombs” captures QOTSA as you’ve never seen or heard them before. This utterly unique once-in-a-lifetime experience features a carefully selected setlist spanning the QOTSA catalog, each song chosen and epically reimagined for the Catacombs. The result is an unprecedented incarnation of QOTSA at their most intimate, yet surrounded by literally millions of human remains — “the biggest audience we’ve ever played for,” says QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE leader Joshua Homme.
The film has already been tipped as “awe-inspiring” by DIY magazine, “completely unique” by Clash, “incredibly special” by Kerrang! and “revelatory” by Uncut magazine.
The Catacombs Of Paris is a sprawling 320km (200 miles) ossuary beneath the surface of Paris. With a foundation of several million bodies buried in the 1700s, skeletal remains are largely exposed, with much of the walls built of skulls and bones.
Homme had dreamt of staging a QOTSA performance in the Catacombs since his first visit nearly 20 years ago. The city of Paris, however, had never granted permission to any artist to play within the sacred tunnels. QOTSA, being law-abiding citizens, waited until their vision was sanctioned.
Hélène Furminieux (Les Catacombes de Paris) said: “The Catacombs of Paris are a fertile ground for the imagination. It is important to us that artists take hold of this universe and offer a sensitive interpretation of it. Going underground and confronting reflections on death can be a deeply intense experience. Josh seems to have felt in his body and soul the full potential of this place. The recordings resonate perfectly with the mystery, history, and a certain introspection, notably perceptible in the subtle use of the silence within the Catacombs.”
Every aesthetic decision, every choice of song, every configuration of instruments… absolutely everything was planned and played with deference to the Catacombs — from the acoustics and ambient sounds — dripping water, echoes and natural resonance — to the darkly atmospheric lighting tones that enhance the music. Far from the sound-insulated confines of the studio or the comfort of onstage monitors, “Alive In The Catacombs” sees the band not only rise to this challenge, but embrace it.
Homme recalls: “We’re so stripped down because that place is so stripped down, which makes the music so stripped down, which makes the words so stripped down… It would be ridiculous to try to rock there. All those decisions were made by that space. That space dictates everything, it’s in charge. You do what you’re told when you’re in there.”
The result is QOTSA distilled down to their most elemental form — Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore augmented by a three-piece string section, employing chains and chopsticks as makeshift percussion instruments. “Alive In The Catacombs” is QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE stripped to their barest essence by necessity (you can’t call it “unplugged” if there are no actual electrical outlets to plug into),McGyver-ing a car battery to power an electric piano. And unfiltered, as every song was recorded live in a complete take with no overdubs or edits.
Words fail to convey the magnificence of “Queens Of The Stone Age: Alive In The Catacombs”. Its truly stunning balance of subtlety and grandeur must be experienced to be appreciated. The beauty is in the struggle (both internal and external). This is Joshua Homme at his most physically vulnerable yet ultimately his most triumphant.
“Queens Of The Stone Age: Alive In The Catacombs” was produced by La Blogothèque and directed by Thomas Rames, and was released by QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and Matador Records. The film is available to rent or purchase via qotsa.com.
Content shared from blabbermouth.net.