LIVE REVIEW: QUEENS OF THE STONEAGE With Special Guests GUT HEALTH & POND

On a sweltering 40’c Saturday, QotSA have kicked off their 2024 Australian & New Zealand ‘The End is Nero’ tour. The atmosphere is buzzing, and crowds are chattering everywhere about their favourite songs, the last time they’d seen them & whether this is really the end of the world!

Melbourne natives Gut Health are first up in support tonight. Starting off with a track released late last year & previously un-played live “Uh Oh” the psychedelic punk rock is kicking off! Lead singer Athina Uh Oh brings Debbie Harry & Killing Heidi vibes and overall gut health are epitomising punk. Their energy is infectious and with the crowd building as the sunsets the six-piece have definitely got the buzz. The use of synthesisers, guitars and two drum kits brings art to music, an eclectic ensemble with lyrics that are truthful. If the Sex Pistols fucked Bikini Kill, then I think Gut Health would be the result.

Perth locals Pond hit the stage promptly at 7.50pm and with the first song Nick Allbrook abandons the stage and moves through the crowd engaging, encouraging, and enthralling. A different kind of energy has taken hold, it’s not quite as frenetic but they’ve captured the crowd all the same. Deep Base and Depeche Mode reminiscent Pond move us through their set with a sprinkling of songs new and old, Nick bouncing round the stage with a childlike demeanour, carefree living his best life. Highlight of the set was “Daisy”.

POND GALLERY

The excitement is palpable throughout the crowd tonight. Stage front has been steadily filling and with the close of Pond’s set the crowd are ready and waiting. It’s been six years since QotSA have played on Australian shores and here we are in celebration of their eighth studio album, ‘In Times New Roman…’

The crowd has weirdly descended into this quietness, maybe it’s the gentle tones of Peggy Lee ’s ‘Smile’ or just the pure anticipation of what’s to come AND THEN HERE THEY ARE! As the final chords of heartbreak escape into the evening what else could be the opening number of the night other than they head banging, heartbeat inducing “No One Knows”. The crowd is uproariously delighted & who could blame them. For many this was the song that opened the door for QotSA and they’re not hiding away from the delight it brings to audiences.

“We all need know what we’re here for tonight!” Shouts Josh Homme “Do what the fuck you want just don’t hurt anybody” which is met with screams of approval. As we move through the set of absolute bangers (do QotSA have anything else?!) the crowd almost moves as one, even looking out for each other when the security descends in on crowd surfers with the eagerness of a 13-year-old to a discarded porn mag.

Songs dedicated to fans and encouraging/teaching the crowd how to clap along in time were unique moments showing how no matter how high QotSA rise, & no matter how hard the last few years have been for Josh, he is still that guy who formed a rock band back in ’96.

Whilst this may not be the OG line up the camaraderie and closeness between the band shows in their seamless transitions & their movements on stage. With the band stepping out of the spotlight during ‘God Is The Radio’ gave Perth a drum solo where Jon Theodore’s skills were showed off to the happiness of the crowd.

Tonight, the QotSA turned up, Perth did too and for a town that notoriously sits through live music there wasn’t a bum on a seat for as far as the eye could see! We’ve had head banging, extended songs, crowd surfing, sing-a-longs and honestly (to the utter dismay of the security) utter fucking joy.

Doing away with the encore and instead just asking for a cheer they stayed on and to the crowd’s sheer delight (&request) we got our ‘encore songs’ and then some! I’m not posting the set list because tonight was the opening night of the Aussie/NZ section of the tour and I want you all – new fan, old fan, never heard them but love rock music fan – to get along and have an absolute rip-roaring evening of your own! Get going – you won’t regret it.