Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Queens of the Stone Age @ The Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA 03/24/11



You can't have a successful MOGmeet and not have a second!  Shortly after our MOGmeet at the Church concert pre-sale tickets went on sale for QOTSA.  Queens of the Mother Fucking Stone Age!!!!  The special occasion was the re-release of their self-titled debut.





The album was originally released in in 1998 but had been out of print for so long that it was impossible to to get your hands on...that is unless you were willing to pay $100.00 on EBay.  After Homme's near death experience with an infection the release was scheduled along with an ensuing tour that was partially inspired by Cheap Trick's tour of their first three albums.

I originally first heard QOTSA with their 3rd release, 'Songs for the Deaf'.  'No One Knows', with its catchy hooks, was all over the radio.



I mentioned to my boss at the time that I was digging it.  The next day he brought in Rated R and said that it was a must that I listened to it.  After hearing 'Quick and to the Pointless', (the track that was famously recorded in one take after they realized that the filler vocals that bassist Nick Oliveri had laid down were flawless) I was hooked



A fellow MOGger had a pre-sale password for their show at The Electric Factory and our tickets were secured.  I would be meeting 2 new MOGgers from Virginia at this show.  A MOGmeet AND QOTSA.  How incredibly awesome!!!

My friend met at my house for dinner prior to the show and we followed each other to the gig.  This is when I learned to never follow Lizzie.  After driving around the block 3 or 4 times I decided to call her.  I was laughing maniacally and yelling, "Look Kids...Big Ben...Parliament!".  I took the lead and got us to the parking lot where I was guided to a different lot for more money because of the size of my vehicle.  That is right.  The Mini-Van is too big for some.

This show was before my big push to start buying concert shirts again so sadly I have no shirt.  :(

We met our two friends and went upstairs to the side balcony.  Not a great view but you can drink so it is a plus.  We grabbed drinks and rail seats and waited for the show to start.




The opening act was The Dough Rollers.  I REALLY liked them.  They were spinning Psychobilly a la Cramps.  The most disappointing thing was when I looked them up after the show the music I found of theirs online was NOTHING like they were playing in concert.  Actually, since then I still have not found any.  I am not sure why but I wish they would go back to that sound.

Finally, it was go time!  The stage was lit by dangling lights.  They came out rocking opening with 'Regular John' from the S/T debut. 




 As I looked down from the crowd and saw the crowd surfing and the craziness I was longing to be down there and apart of it!




 They continued on in order of the Self-Titled Debut.  It was good to hear.




As we got about 5 or 6 songs in it looked like it was going to be a Self-Titled only playlist and show.  They played it exclusively minus all but 2 tracks from that album ('These Aren't The Droid You're Looking For' and 'Spiders and Vinegaroons')




When the encore came they went into a greatest hits list.  Rated R was strangely absent thought.   
For the second encore they finished off with 'No One Knows'.  I thought my head was about to explode.





They shredded it.  The musicianship was killer.  Josh Homme was interactive with the crowd.  It was nice to see them in a smaller venue.  My only wish is I would like to see them again with a different set.  This time I will be crowd surfing.  Mark my words!!! 

See you at the next show!

Fran



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