Among the din of amphitheater excursions this summer, one of the most highly anticipated tours of the year is without a doubt, Queens of the Stone Age. This Thursday (7/17) at Merriweather Post Pavilion, the anticipation of a long overdue Queens tour will come to a wonderful end.
If you haven’t heard about Queens’ 2013 release …Like Clockwork, then you surely must have been on a mission trip to a cannibal tribe in the South American jungle, or living under the proverbial rock. Debuting at number one on the Billboard Top 200, and earning three Grammy nominations, …Like Clockwork has placed Queens of the Stone Age on a higher mountaintop than they have ever been.
Recorded on the heels of a near-death experience during surgery, Homme brought a bit of that darkness with him and spit it back out into an amazing album. In an interview on Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast, Homme reflected,”Because of that process, we’re really tighter as a band and as friends. I was in the fog and they came in the fog with me, and I came out of it. There’s a lot of trust.”
Since their inception in 1996, in the wake of the break-up of desert stoner legends Kyuss, Josh Homme has led an ever-evolving lineup of musicians along the Queens’ path. The latest notable change was the firing of drummer Joey Castillo, ushering in former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore. …Like Clockwork also featured a who’s who of guests, including frequent Queens collaborator Dave Grohl, and Sir Elton John.
Of Elton, Josh told Straight.com, “He’s such a cornerstone of classic-rock radio, which is what I grew up listening to, that he’s like this dude that’s always been in my ear. That made it one of those moments where I really was shoved into a fanboy corner.”
Supporting Queens on this tour is the synthy indie rock of St. Vincent, and Mrs. Homme herself, former Distillers singer Brody Dalle. It makes for an interesting lineup, but Queens of the Stone Age alone are worth the price of two admissions. Be there this Thursday, 7/17 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.
PHOTO: JASON MILLER
