Queens of the Stone Age - House of Blues, March 26, 2011

Queens of the Stone Age
House of Blues, Boston MA
Saturday, March 26, 2011

Support - The Dough Rollers

We've got a dozen here. Saturday night Queens of the Stone Age rumbled through the House of Blues in Boston. They haven't been on the road in the US since 2007 so its been some time. The dozen? Oh, that just means this was the twelfth time I have seen the band live.

Currently on tour performing their debut album in full the band blasted through the album and a six song, two encore 90 minute set. Arriving on stage right at 8pm singer Josh Homme took center stage and it was off to the races. To his right was Troy Van Leeuwen on guitars and keyboards, Dean Fertita on guitar and keyboards. Behind Josh was, what is long term for QOTSA, drummer Joey Castillo and to the left of Josh was bassist Michael Shuman. Shuman was in top form all night. He was constantly in motion and the bass was high in the mix with the sludgy stoner drone that everyone wanted.

The band tore through the first few songs and Fertita and Van Leeuwen would swap from guitar to keyboards to hand held percussive instruments. Castillo would hit the drums as hard as he could, but cut back and be more methodic on intros to tunes like "If Only". Homme told the audience to never go to Mexico, but to go to Mexico to check it out before the track "Mexicola" was played then right before "Hispanic Impressions" he said "here is another song about Mexicans" The "album" set was focused and very well played. They didn't stray and only extended a solo on occasion, but the bulk was a very strong replaying of the record.

Just about 9pm the band left the stage and came back for a five song encore. Striking hard had fast with Sick Sick Sick and then rolling right in to "Go With the Flow" the audience was a in a frenzy. Heads bobbed, and as silly as it is, bodies got up to crowd surf. Homme didn't have a ton of banter with the audience like he is known for. Most were short, local references. He talked about their first show at the Middle East in Cambridge Ma and then a referenced to the Salem Witches at the start of "Burn the Witch". He was on a mission, to get the songs in as quick as he could.

The band would leave the stage once more and did come back for the final song of the evening "No One Knows".

Here is the set:
1.Regular John
2.Avon
3.If Only
4.Walkin' on the Sidewalks
5.You Would Know
6.How to Handle a Rope (A Lesson in the Lariat)
7.Mexicola
8.Hispanic Impression
9.The Bronze
10.Give the Mule What He Wants
11.I Was a Teenage Hand Model
12.You Can't Quit Me Baby

Encore 1:
13.Sick, Sick, Sick
14.Go With the Flow
15.Into the Hollow
16.Little Sister
17.Burn the Witch

Encore 2:
18.No One Knows

Overall I was very pleased. I like the band very much, as well as 99% of their material. In the early days the band was a rotating cast and it would change between an album and live dates. The current band has been together for some time (since at least 2007) so they know one another and their tendencies which only makes for a stronger set and potentially stronger studio albums.

A few live shots..thanks to James for taking and sharing:

I am not that shallow...

a recent best selling book in Great Britain is called "What Every Man Thinks about apart from Sex". It is 200 blank pages.

If I wrote it, it might be 199 blank pages. I think about beer, food, music and hockey...sunshine...ummm stay with me for a minute...

nah..its back to sex.

damn it.

Listen to and grab some live Caspian

I taped the band back in the fall and thanks to the band and Mike at 6Fortyproject it has been posted for you to grab..download and share etc.

There is a review link I did to the show there as well. I'd be curious to hear feed back if anyone grabs it.

Again..go right here for the goods.

Have a good weekend.

Free Music - "Taste of Iceland"

This Saturday at the Middle East in Cambridge there will be three bands performing as part of the "Taste of Iceland" festival.

Being a huge fan of Sigur Ros I am thrilled to see the string section that has supported them both in studio and live are performing. That's right Amiina are to perform in this intimate setting.

Doors are at 8:00 and the lineup is as follows:
Twin Berlin
Thick as Thieves
Amiina (from Iceland)

The event is free, but you can get a ticket and information
here.

For more on Twin Berlin check out their

Facebook and/or Twitter.

Funeral Party on tour!

Funeral Party will join legendary alt-metal band Deftones and mathcore mavericks The Dillinger Escape Plan on their North American spring tour, beginning on April 14 in Seattle, WA. The tour begins just weeks after the highly anticipated release of Funeral Party's debut album The Golden Age Of Knowhere on March 29, 2011.

The first three songs - "New York City Moves to the Sound of L.A.,""Carwars," and UK hit, "Just Because" -are highlights of the post-punk onslaught that the record instills. The first U.S.single is "Finale."

Funeral Party will offer fans a prelude to their upcoming tour with showcases at South By Southwest as well as performances on the Late Show with David Letterman on March 31 and Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 6. If you are in New York on 30, or LA on 4/8 you get special intimate shows.

Named one of Alternative Press' Bands to Watch in 2011, Funeral Party's DIY mentality and accompanying live energy furthered their rise from a local underground band to a worldwide alt-rock success.

On Tour!

Weds. March 16 Austin, TX (SXSW) WFNX Showcase - Club Crucial
Weds. March 16 Austin, TX (SXSW) RootMusic / SkullCandy Showcase - Lipstick
Sat. March 19 Austin, TX (SXSW) Steve Madden Showcase - Cedar St. Courtyard
Weds. March 30 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Thurs. April 7 San Diego, CA Soda Bar
Fri. April 8 Los Angeles, CA Echo
Thurs. April 14 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre*
Fri. April 15 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom*
Sat. April 16 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom*
Thurs. April 21 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue*
Fri. April 22 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre *
Sat. April 23 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre*
Tues. April 26 St. Louis, MO The Pageant*
Thurs. April 28 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue*
Fri. April 29 Milwaukee, WI The Rave*
Sat. April 30 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre*
Sun. May 1 Detroit, MI Fillmore Theatre*
Tues. May 3 Toronto, ON The Sound Academy*
Thurs. May 5 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino*
Fri. May 6 Providence, RI Lupo's* <<<<---- see ya there???!
Sat. May 7 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre*
Mon. May 9 Boston, MA House Of Blues*
Tues. May 10 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory*
Weds. May 11 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom*
Fri. May 13 New York, NY Best Buy Theatre*
Sat. May 14 New York, NY Best Buy Theatre*

* Opening slot for Deftones

Check out the U.K. digital biography of the band here.


Stay in touch with the latest on Funeral Party via their official site, myspace, and/or Facebook.

Some You Tune clips:

NYC Moves to the Sound of LA is here
Just Because - here and
Finale, right here.

Matt & Kim Hit the Road

Matt and Kim are going on a Spring Sidewalks Tour! The tour will kick-off May 28 at the Sasquatch Festival, blow-out Bonnaroo and cruise through tour stops until it ends in Boston. Check for all the dates below.

Matt and Kim declare war on dull nights out during their official SIDEWALKS headlining US tour, kicking off May 28th at the Sasquatch Music Festival and including Bonnaroo on June 10th. It's the official tour in support of their third full-length, Sidewalks, out now via FADER Label.

Each show will be a full night of dance debauchery and next day regrets. But Matt & Kim will not be alone; THE THERMALS are coming along too, and DJ AUTOBOT from FLOSSTRADAMUS will be carrying the nonstop dance party through the evening and between bands.

Head over to the bands site or
myspace as all the dates, tour information and links are there.

US Tour Dates

3/12 - Hayward, CA @ Pukka Indie Arts Festival
3/14 - Austin, TX @ The Belmont
3/16 - Austin, TX - mtvU Woodie Awards
3/18 - Austin, TX @ The FADER Fort, SXSW
5/28 - George, WA @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
5/31 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
6/1 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
6/2 - Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle
6/3 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
6/4 - Orlando, FL @ Firestone Live
6/5 - Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
6/7 - Tampa, FL @ Czar Imperial Ballroom
6/8 - New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues
6/10 - Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
6/11 - Austin, TX @ Stubb's
6/12 - Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
6/14 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
6/15 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
6/16 - San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
6/18 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
6/20 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
6/21 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
6/22 - Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont Club
6/23 - St Louis, MO @ The Pageant
6/24 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic
6/25 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
6/28 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
6/29 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
6/30 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues

Check out a tour video right here.

Well I done did it..

Still same format..just new "jazzy" color. I need to add back in some links etc..but that was the big reveal.