Queens Of The Stone Age are, undoubtedly, a band to be seen after a few pints. This can be explained by the sheer enthusiasm of the crowd as soon as lead Queen Josh Homme, guitar in hand, starts Regular John. A moshpit of sorts assembles, boys only of course and they don’t seem to give a shit that it’s too loud, as the women meanwhile decide take a step back and drool with past QOTSA gigs ebbing away within a blur of beer-stained memories.
However, it needs to be said, it is a classic opener to their debut album and the only song they could’ve opened with live. As for why it’s actually been reissued, no idea, but what I can say is that when you check out a bands legacy, and plenty of bands really don’t deserve it, sometimes a first album gets drastically overlooked. Queens Of The Stone Age, however, hit the ground running.
The album is played out in full tonight, including ‘The Bronze’ from the split EP with Beaver, which came out around the same time. I spent an hour going through my attic looking for it as it’d been missing since 1999, stuck in a shoebox inside a Berlin record store bag with the price in Deuschemarks (about a fiver). Before the second encore hits, they close with ‘You Can’t Quit Me Baby’. It’s maybe the first time tonight that the sound hasn’t gone awry. The slow bass groove, rolling stoner drums, sliding guitar, but building, and rising faster and faster… it’s not until you hear something live after a long time that you forget just how good it is. This is perfection. Analyse it if you must. But don’t question it.
The first encore comprised of tunes from Lullablies To Paralyze and Era Vulgaris. Again, rather than go for the obvious setlist from all their releases, they picked out a particular time span. Maybe it’s a road-test in case they decide to tour the other albums. ‘Battery Acid’ could’ve easily come from the debut album. It’s fast, burning up and grinding along, almost ugly, or at least it would if it wasn’t so much fun.
Second encore, they close with ‘No One Knows’ from Rated R and ‘Song For The Dead’, respectively from Songs For The Deaf. People in the balcony stalls are going crazy, down the front some have lost the plot, it’s hard not to think that right now, Queens Of The Stone Age are probably one of the best bands in the world. If a band can back up their albums with a live show like this, time and time again, then it’s about time they headlined a festival or two or maybe moved up to the SECC. Now that’d piss off the touts. And just in case you haven’t got their debut album, get it. You deserve it. Maybe that’s why it’s been reissued.