GUEST POST: MY FRIEND TOM SAW THE SECRET QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE GIG IN SEATTLE

About a week ago on July 31, Queens Of The Stone Age played a gig at Seattle's famous Showbox Market.  They're promoting the reissue of their self-titled debut album, originally released in 1998 on Stone Gossard's Loose Groove Records.  My good friend Tom was there and agreed to email me an account of the show (Tom is a true rock and roll dude, and was even thanked in the liner notes of Bruce Springsteen's Promise box set).  Tom went above and beyond as usual, and here's his report.


The first show that Queens of the Stone Age ever played was in downtown Seattle in November of 1997 so it seemed fitting they would perform their debut album in its entirety, for what was supposed to be a “secret show” here in downtown Seattle last Sunday night.

Queens of the Stone Age – Josh Homme (lead vocals, guitar), Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar, backing vocals), Joey Castillo (drums, percussion), Michael Shuman (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Dean Fertita (keyboards, guitar) – took the stage at roughly 9 pm.  QOTSA are not from Seattle but Homme certainly has enough of his own history here.  Homme became part of the local scene after the dissolution of his former band Kyuss, when he briefly joined Seattle legends Screaming Trees, as their touring guitarist, before forming QOTSA.  On stage Homme made sure to pay homage to Trees’ frontman Mark Lanegan (a one-time Queen) and former label boss Stone Gossard.  Homme mentioned that the first show QOTSA ever played was nearby at the OK Hotel – a bar/music venue located under the viaduct in Seattle’s Pioneer Square district – Homme laughed that it was one of their worst performances ever.  But tonight, the Queens played like heroes, performing the entire album from start to finish.  This album was the brainchild of Homme, who wrote all the songs and played guitar and bass guitar to the record, but his band mates (none of whom were in the band at the time) played these songs like they had been performing them for years. It was a real treat, especially if you never got to see Homme and crew in the old days.

The Queens opened with the debut's first track, “Regular John,” a stoney tune with a Kyuss feel, which seemed to have more life than the album’s studio version.  The guitars were brighter and more prominent too, compared to the steady mix on the album.  I actually had to go back and listen to the album after the show, in order to recall what Homme was doing live on these songs during the live show.  You couldn’t tell if the band re-worked any of the songs’ parts because they seemed so fresh and exciting.  Josh has become a totally solid live performer and this show was on-par with anything else he has ever done, (including Them Crooked Vultures).  The energy level was amazing and the band was having a blast.

Homme’s button down blue dress shirt was soaked with sweat as he continued to play some of the best lead guitar I’ve ever seen and he moved around the stage pushing the audience harder and faster.  He was ribbing us in the crowd (good naturedly) and invoking the whole point of rock n roll…"we just want all of you to have a good time."  Homme spent equal time facing each band member as they performed instrumental sections of "The Bronze," a bonus track on the re-issue.  At one point during “Mexicola,” Homme turned to drummer Joey Castillo who Homme later called “the only Mexican in Seattle,” and Joey started playing amazing drum fills that were different than that of the album version.  Joey was an absolute monster on the drums.  He didn’t miss a beat all night.  Michael Shuman, same thing - he just had head-splitting energy that drives the dynamic range of QOTSA over the top.  His harmonies were on point and you were able to see the skills this kid has on the bass guitar.  He makes you forget about how great Nick Oliveri was when he was their bass player.  Troy Van Leeuwen looked cool because he had a cool pinstripe suit on with a fancy tie to boot.  He was rocking... and you know that the rhythm guitarist never gets enough credit.   Dean brings in the bits and pieces that put the tunes over the top.  Reaching back to tear through some Mark Lanegan tunes all the way to the insane tease of “the polka song.”

You got the feeling Queens of the Stone Age were really excited to play this show not only because they had a chance to play an entire album worth of songs that aren't part of the usual repertoire.  The crowd was equally excited to hear live renditions of some of their favorite old school QOTSA songs.  After bout an hour they finished playing through the entire first album, so Homme and the band came back out and said they were having a great time and would play anything the crowd wanted for the next 30 minutes.  The crowd went nuts and then Homme proceeded to take requests and you just knew that someone was going to request “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” Before going into it, Homme simply said: “let’s get fucked up,” and then the crowd sang along with him the entire song and if they didn’t know the lyrics beforehand, they certainly did by the end of the song.

One of my favorite moments was when Josh told this guy down in front, who was wearing sunglasses, that he wanted to suck his dick “because he was so cool.”  Homme also pointed out some girl sitting on top of a guy’s shoulders, who was apparently at the Soundgarden show the previous night at the Gorge Amphitheater where Queens of the Stone Age played third on the bill, as she flashed him and flipped the crowd off when Homme said: “My sister is fuckin’ crazy right?”

In keeping with their reputation, Queens of the Stone Age killed in Seattle last Sunday night.  Performing every song from their self-titled debut album made the show extra special, but taking requests from the crowd really made this a classic and unforgettable performance.  Their stage presence was attention grabbing and the quality of their live performance – in my opinion – surpasses their studio work. Plus, Josh Homme never fails to make you laugh.  This show overall was definitely an over-the-top performance.  It made me wish that I had been able to see them when they started out in Seattle to be able to compare.  I can’t wait to see them again.

DEAD WEATHER - SEA OF COWARDS - TIE FOR #11

Some of the members of Dead Weather are already included in my Top 10 of 2010 list, as musicians on Karen Elson's debut album, The Ghost Who Walks.  But I can't forget how rocking their own album, Sea Of Cowards, was. I didn't expect them to do a new album so soon: I figured drummer/singer Jack White would do another White Stripes or Raconteurs album before coming back to Dead Weather. I loved Dead Weather's first album, Horehound, which came out last year, but I wondered if it was a project or a band. It's a band.

The new album benefits from time spent on the road, they sound even tighter now than they did before. And having caught them live over the summer, I'll say that they're one of the best live bands around, even better than The White Stripes.  Jack White clearly leads the ship, but singer Allison Mosshart is really the star of the group. She's one of the best frontpeople I've ever seen.  I have downloaded some songs with her other band, The Kills, but I have to pick up some full albums.

Bassist Jack Lawrence is now back with his original band, The Greenhornes, so I guess we won't hear from Dead Weather (or The Raconteurs) any time soon, but I look forward to hearing more from them in the future. I know Jack White is working on the Wanda Jackson album that comes out soon, and Dean Fertita has just put out a solo effort (that Brendan Benson contributed to), called Hello = Fire (read about it in this Billboard interview), and will work on the new Queens Of The Stone Age album this year.  But I definitely hope to hear more Dead Weather in the future.

BEST OF '09: THE DEAD WEATHER

No Expiration readers know that I have been digging The Dead Weather, and after listening to it while running today, I decided it has to be on my list of the Best Albums of '09.  Some people may think that Jack White spreads himself too thin with all of his projects, but I think he does whatever feels right at that moment.  Plus, the guy has a crazy sense of quality control.

But it would be wrong to just attribute the greatness of this band to Jack White - a lot of it is about singer Allison Mosshart. She is a cool singer and great frontwoman, with nearly the power of PJ Harvey. She brings out more of the raw blues vibe in him.  I think this is actually his most aggressive project.  I'm glad that they are going to continue it - Jack says their next album will come out next year. Obviously, blues rock has been done before, and even blues rock with a punk rock edge. But this is a great combo for that particular mixture.  More importantly than that, they have some really great songs: "60 Ft Tall," "Hang You From The Heavens," "I Cut Like A Buffalo," "Treat Me Like Your Mother" and their cover of Bob Dylan's "New Pony." If you like what Jack White has done in the past - or Allison Mosshart's main band, The Kills - I'd say you'd like this.  But even if you don't like Jack's music, you may like this, try it out.

Other Best of '09 albums: Bob Dylan's Together Through Life , The Cocktail Slippers' Saint Valentine's Day Massacre , Rancid's Let The Dominoes Fall, N.A.S.A.'s Spirit Of Apollo , Levon Helm's Electric Dirt , Buddy & Julie Miller's Written In Chalk, Ben Harper & Relentless7's White Lies For Dark Times

JACK WHITE'S NEW BAND: THE DEAD WEATHER

Last night, Jack White unveiled his new band - his third band - The Dead Weather. It's Jack on drums and backing vocals, Jack Lawrence from The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes on bass, Dean Fertita from The Raconteurs' touring band, he's also played in Queens Of The Stone Age's touring band, on guitar and vocals, and Alison Mosshart of The Kills on vocals. They have a two-track single on iTunes: "Hang You From The Heavens," and the "B-side" is a cover of Gary Numan's Tubeway Army-era song "Are 'Friends' Electric?"

The band made their debut at an event of the opening of Jack's Third Man Records building in downtown Nashville, which houses the record label offices, a vinyl record store, a photo studio, a darkroom and a performance stage. Jack kicks it old school.

The band performed for the first time, and everyone who was invited got a 7" single with artwork painted by the band. Jack's Raconteurs bandmates Brendon Benson and Patrick Keeler, and White Stripe Meg White were all in attendence, as was Sheryl Crow who lives in Tennessee. I bought the two Dead Weather tracks as soon as I got home, I really dig them. Jack White is one talented cat. But I wonder what it's like being in a band with him, waiting when he will be done with his other bands.