This past Saturday night thousands gathered at the newly opened Hydro arena, a first visit to the venue for myself and many others, and I can’t think of many acts better to welcome me than rock legends Queens of the Stone Age. Led by towering front man Josh Homme, the California five piece return to Glasgow for their largest Scottish show to date, touring their 2013 album …Like Clockwork. This is is the band’s first visit to Glasgow since the intimate show filled with obscure older tracks at the O2 Academy in 2011 and, having seen the band twice in the past, I knew the packed crowd were in for a real treat.
The group take to the stage and swiftly enter into the slow and sludgy Keep Your Eyes Peeled, the opening the track from the 2013 album. The band waste no time in blasting out some classic tracks, as they follow the opening song with the tracks You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar But I Feel Like a Millionaire and the classic single No One Knows. Although running through nine songs from their latest album, the band still give the old school fans what they want with songs from their extensive back catalogue, including songs such as the danceable Make It With Chu and the fan favorite sing along Burn The Witch.
The group make this visit with newly recruited drummer, the renowned Jon Theodore. The former Mars Volta sticksman leaves the technical drumming he is known for behind and replaces it with the straight ahead powerhouse rock drum beats made famous by the band’s former drummers Dave Grohl and Joey Castillo.
The band waste little time with the usual chitchat most arena bands subject us to, instead running through the set like a well oiled machine, playing each song with note for note perfection. In my opinion there are very few remaining rock stars in this world, but Mr Homme is one of them. Although he rarely deviates from his position behind the microphone, he is able to effortlessly control the arena sized stage.
The set builds to a close with the 2002 single Go With The Flow, but the packed arena has not seen enough and the band return to stage to treat us to three more. Opening their encore with their latest single The Vampyre Of Time and Memory before leaving the crowd with songs every fan wants to hear, the iconic Feel Good Hit of the Summer and the track the band say is “the only song they know how to say thank you with”, the ferocious Song For The Dead.
I can’t vouch for those in the seats but I can safely say those of us quick enough to get tickets for the standing area were not left disappointed by the rock legends.
Were you at the gig? Or have you been to anything else at the Hydro yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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