Queens Of The Stone Age have announced the release of their performance at the Paris Catacombs, titled ‘Alive In The Catacombs’.
The set marked the first-ever concert to be played at the historic site and saw Josh Homme and co. perform a unique, unplugged set without an audience last June. It was heavily rumoured last year and teased to have been recorded for future broadcast.
Now, the band have confirmed that the milestone performance will be getting a premiere on June 5. It is said to capture the band in a way like they have never seen before, and features a setlist that spans their catalogue and sees each song imagined for the unconventional venue.
The Catacombs in Paris sprawls 320km (200 miles) underneath the surface of the city and, with a foundation of several million bodies buried in the 18th century, the skeletal remains are largely exposed.
The idea to perform there was first envisioned by Homme two decades ago, although permission to perform within the sacred tunnels had never been granted to any artist. It was only able to come together last year, as a one-off exception for Queens Of The Stone Age.
The performance sees members Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore, augmented by a three-piece string section and employing chains and chopsticks as makeshift percussion instruments. There isn’t a crowd in attendance, although it does see them surrounded by millions of human remains – something the frontman says makes it “the biggest audience we’ve ever played for”.
Teasers for the long-awaited performance footage were shared last week and a clip saw water dripping in the dimly lit tunnels, followed by a close-up shot of a human skull. Later, the silhouette of Homme emerges out of the darkness as he walks down the hall. Watch the new trailer above.
“If you’re ever going to be haunted, surrounded by several million dead people is the place,” said Homme in a new statement. “I’ve never felt so welcome in my life. We’re so stripped down because that place is so stripped down, which makes the music so stripped down, which makes the words so stripped down…
“It would be ridiculous to try to rock there. All those decisions were made by that space. That space dictates everything, it’s in charge. You do what you’re told when you’re in there.”
Hélène Furminieux of Les Catacombes de Paris added: “The Catacombs of Paris are a fertile ground for the imagination. It is important to us that artists take hold of this universe and offer a sensitive interpretation of it.
“Going underground and confronting reflections on death can be a deeply intense experience. Josh seems to have felt in his body and soul the full potential of this place. The recordings resonate perfectly with the mystery, history, and a certain introspection, notably perceptible in the subtle use of the silence within the Catacombs.”
Produced by La Blogothèque and directed by Thomas Rames ‘Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs’ is available to pre-order now and set for release on June 5. Those who purchase it by June 7 will receive exclusive access to behind-the-scenes footage.
As for upcoming shows, Queens Of The Stone Age are set to play two huge outdoor headline shows at Sheffield’s Rock N Roll Circus this summer, shortly after topping the bill at Victorious Festival in Portsmouth. The group will then embark on a European tour later this year, where they’ll also appear at numerous festivals such as Øya, Electric Castle, Lowlands, Pukkelpop and Rock En Seine. Visit here for tickets.
Speaking to NME as part of an In Conversation interview in 2023, Homme and Fertita opened up about their personal battles and revealed what they have in the pipeline.
“I think we should be making something,” Homme said. “The mantra of the last five years was, ‘It won’t be long now!’ That needs to pertain to making things too. I certainly think we should make more, faster-er, better-er.”