Queens of the Stone Age
Live at The Refectory on Sunday, 10th February 2008
Although the websites state that the support for tonight is The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, it is the fairly unknown tones of In Case Of Fire. I for one am pleased by this; TEMBLD not only have a crap name, I don't reckon much to their music either.
In Case Of Fire however, having just won MTV Spanking New For 2008 award, are quite interesting. Producing a sound that appears larger than the three of them alone can make (think Biffy Clyro or Therapy?), these young Northern Irelanders are quickly heading for big things. A technical mishap leading to some unpleasant feedback nearly deafens the sell out crowd, but the charming threesome pull it back. Lets just say for a support band a hefty chunk of the crowd are watching and noticing them, rather than hanging out in other places in the venue.
Many people stay where they are too, as the chandeliers, now a necessity at a Queens of the Stone Age show, are unveiled above the stage. In a way they describe the band's choice of name, thick steel girders holding delicate lighting structures.
Homme and the gang are in high spirits, and although Homme states that he is sick, he can still accuse the crowd of acting bored to wind them up a bit. This doesn't work, though the act of wearing some flashing pink bunny ears that he has plucked from the crowd is quite funny (though this happened last time I saw them last November. Is it a set up?).
The solid riffs, wailing and overly distorted guitars and keyboards should not fit in with the harmonised vocals, but they do. That's what this band does best. Not only do they look and act cool as fuck, they can get away with pink accessories, a chandelier dangling above each of their heads and cover songs called 'I Want To Make It Wit Chu'. On the website you can even get Valentine's Day cards to print off featuring this title.
The singles from across QOTSA's back catalogue fare the best tonight, with '3's & 7's' and 'Sick, Sick, Sick' from 'Era Vulgaris' gaining as much crowd enthusiasm as 'Burn The Witch' and 'Little Sister'. Homme even encourages us to sing along to their cover of 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go', which actually turns out to be 'The Sky Is Falling'. The largest reaction of the night of cause goes to their biggest hit 'No One Knows'.
It is hard to see why QOTSA are playing these rather all venues, I believe they could sell out larger places. This is not to say I am not happy they have finally set foot in Leeds City Centre, after playing to Wireless crowds at Harewood House last year. More bands should follow suit and play many small shows rather than say three nights in London only.
