Steps away from the MGM Music Hall sits the legendary Fenway Park. The baseball stadium—home of the Red Sox—houses the famous Green Monster, or ” Monsta, ” as locals call it. On the same night that the Red Sox played, another gathering occurred as Queens of the Stone Age played the first of two nights at the MGM.
The anticipation was high for this show. Last September, the band cancelled their dates due to lead singer Josh Homme’s health. When walking around the music hall and ball park, you saw the same amount of baseball gear as rock t-shirts. You could feel the anticipation build as you walked near the venue. By door time, fans had been waiting out in the rain to get the best spot possible. In the blink of an eye, the general admission section filled up and it became jam-packed
By 7:10 p.m., the English-American rock duo, The Kills, took the stage to warm up the crowd. The Kills are made up of singer Alison Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince. Having a male/female duo is similar to what Queens of the Stone Age did a few summers back. Last time, they brought out Phantogram to open up some shows. Two days before the show, Queens of the Stone Age’s Michael Shuman opened up for The Kills under the name GLU at Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut.
The Kills bring a unique rock-infused techno sound. Musically, they’re different from Queens of the Stone Age and it was very interesting to hear the contrast in groups. The Kills have a very punk attitude and it shows in their set. Mosshart prances and glides across the stage and all eyes fixate on her stage presence. It’s not easy to compare her voice to anyone now. The closest you can get is a 2025 Joan Jett / Miley Cyrus. It’s a little more hoarse, gravelly, but heavy and powerful at the same time.
You would think that for just two people on stage, they wouldn’t be able to make a lot of noise. But between Hince’s guitar and Mosshart’s voice, their sound packed a heavy punch. Their sound and hunger won the crowd over as they got deeper into their set. At the end of one song, Hince jokingly said, “Well, that’s it then?” when the crowd wasn’t sure what to think yet.
The Kills Are:
Jamie Hince – Vocals / Guitar
Alison Mosshart – Vocals / Guitar
Setlist:
1. Kissy Kissy
2. U.R.A Fever
3. Love and Tenderness
4. 103
5. Baby Says
6. Wasterpiece
7. DNA
8. Black Balloon
9. My Girls My Girls
10. Doing It to Death
11. Future Starts Slow
By 8:50 p.m.“The Kitchen/The Orgy” from Conan the Barbarian blasted into the speakers and the band strolled on stage. Instead of blasting into a riff-heavy tune, they eased into the bass-heavy “Keep Your Eyes Peeled.” Fanatics of the band knew this show was going to be special. They knew because “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” had not been played live since 2018. This also would not be the first time this happened during the night.
Before fans knew it, Queens of the Stone Age jumped right into the fan favorite “No One Knows.” You could feel the floor shake from the general admission section jumping and rocking back and forth to the song. Drummer Jon Theodore was on fire throughout the night. He bashed the drums all night long and did not let up. It’s not easy playing some of the intricate songs in the Queens of the Stone Age’s catalog, but he provided feel, tight rhythm and was always in perfect time.
It’s perfect that Homme put his health first and postponed these dates originally. In the time the band took off for his health, he made a triumphant return to the stage. His voice sounded impeccable and he was swinging and gyrating his hips to each song. Before “Smooth Sailing,” Homme said to the crowd, while laughing, “I hope everyone gets laid and goes home happy.” You could tell he missed being back on stage.
To Homme’s right stood the amazing Troy Van Leeuwen. Throughout the night, he crept and kneeled around the stage while showing off his musical prowess, playing multiple instruments. At times, he’d stop playing guitar, pick up maracas, then continue to play guitar. Fans were so enamored by him that a “Troy!” chant began. Homme even dedicated “Little Sister” to Van Leeuwen.
Two more songs made surprising debuts during their first show. “Suture Up Your Future” was played live in front of an audience for the first time since 2008 and “A Song for the Deaf” was played live for the first time since 2018. It truly was a night of joyous surprises that were sprinkled in setlist staples and fan favorites.
It didn’t matter whether the band was playing a slower song like “I Sat by The Ocean” or “Make It Wit Chu,” they were cheering and hanging over the top balcony, raising their fists in approval. Throughout the night, fans were so excited that they must have set a record for most crowd surfing in one show. They got to around 15 by the time the show ended. Between the mosh pits, headbanging and screaming, they showed their appreciation for the band by selling out both nights.
By the time the band came to the encore, Homme told the crowd that when it came to an encore, he was “sick of that fu**ing shit… pretend we left… cheer really loud.” The band turned their backs to the crowd for one second and turned around, thus signaling the start of the encore. It’s hilarious to see the band not take themselves so seriously and join in on the fun. The two-song encore consisted of the previously mentioned “A Song for the Deaf” before the band closed with “A Song for the Dead.”
Seeing Queens of the Stone Age is a rock and roll religious experience. When Dave Grohl says, “When they hit the stage, they’re the best rock band in the world,” he isn’t kidding. They have a different sense of musicianship that adds to the element of the show. They’re one of the tightest bands on Earth and the care and love they put into their live shows separates them from the pack. Queens of the Stone Age is one of those bands that you have to see before you die. Their shows get better and better with each passing year, their fans travel wide and far to see them and they put on one of the best shows you’ll see.
Queens of the Stone Age Are:
Josh Homme – Vocals / Guitar
Michael Shuman – Bass / Backing Vocals
Troy Van Leeuwen – Guitars / Backing Vocals
Jon Theodore – Drums
Dean Fertita – Guitars / Keyboard
Setlist:
1. Keep Your Eyes Peeled
2. No One Knows
3. 3’s & 7’s
4. I Sat By The Ocean
5. Negative Space
6. If I Had a Tail
7. My God Is the Sun
8. Emotion Sickness
9. The Way You Used to Do
10. Carnavoyeur
11. Paper Machete
12. Smooth Sailing
13. Suture Up Your Future
14. Make It Wit Chu
15. Little Sister
16. Go With the Flow
17. A Song for the Deaf
18. A Song for the Dead
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in New York/New Jersey and go to school in Connecticut majoring in Journalism and I am always looking for the next concert to attend.
