Josh Homme is dancing. It’s a loose, snake-like shimmy that feels slightly at odds with the sheer volume of the wall of Orange amplifiers stacked behind him. If you’ve seen Queens of the Stone Age on tour recently, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It is loud. It is heavy. But it’s also weirdly groovy.
Most rock bands that have been around for two decades fall into a predictable rhythm. They become legacy acts. They play the hits, they take the check, and they go home. Queens of the Stone Age doesn't do that. They seem to actively hate the idea of being comfortable. Whether they are headlining Glastonbury or playing a sweaty arena in the middle of a Tuesday, there’s this palpable sense that things might actually go off the rails at any second. Honestly, that’s why people keep buying tickets.
The Chaos of the End is Nero Era
The latest trek, supporting their 2023 album In Times New Roman..., has been a bit of a revelation for longtime fans. After a period of relative silence and some heavy personal turmoil for Homme, the band came back sounding leaner. Less polished. More jagged.
If you caught a show in 2024 or 2025, you noticed the setlists weren't just a "best of" compilation. Sure, you’re going to hear "No One Knows." They’d probably get tackled by security if they didn't play "Little Sister." But the deep cuts are where the real magic happens. They’ve been pulling out tracks like "Better Living Through Chemistry" and letting them breathe, turning a five-minute studio track into a ten-minute psychedelic desert jam that feels like it’s vibrating the marrow in your bones.
The lineup has finally solidified into what many consider the "definitive" version of the band. You have Troy Van Leeuwen, the man who looks like a high-fashion vampire and plays guitar with a surgical precision that balances Homme’s more primal style. Then there’s Michael Shuman on bass—usually shirtless, always high-energy—and Dean Fertita juggling keys and third guitar duties.
And then there is Jon Theodore.
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Watching Theodore behind the kit is basically worth the price of admission alone. Replacing Dave Grohl or Joey Castillo is a tall order, but Theodore brings a fusion of Mars Volta-era complexity and straight-up heavy hitting that gives the current tour a different "swing" than previous iterations.
Why the Desert Sound Translates to Massive Arenas
There’s a misconception that Queens of the Stone Age is just "stoner rock." It’s a label they’ve been trying to shake since the late nineties. In reality, what they do on stage is much closer to dark pop or twisted blues.
When Queens of the Stone Age on tour hits a massive outdoor festival, the scale of the sound is massive. They don't rely on pyro. They don't have back-up dancers or elaborate 3D visuals that tell a story. They have lights—lots of aggressive, rhythmic lighting—and they have the riffs.
It’s about the "robot rock" aesthetic. That repetitive, mechanical chugging that Josh Homme pioneered after leaving Kyuss. On stage, this creates a hypnotic effect. By the time they hit the mid-point of the set, usually something like "If I Had a Tail," the entire crowd is moving in sync. It’s a physical reaction. You don't really have a choice in the matter.
The Setlist Lottery
One thing that sets this band apart from their peers like Foo Fighters or Muse is the unpredictability. They change the setlist every single night.
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If you look at the data from recent legs of the tour, they have a rotating pool of about 40 to 50 songs. You might get "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret" in London, but then they’ll swap it for "Regular John" in Paris. This keeps the band sharp. It also makes the "super-fans" follow them from city to city, because you never know when they’re going to dust off a track from the self-titled debut that hasn't been played in five years.
Dealing with the Unexpected
Live music is messy. With QOTSA, that messiness is a feature, not a bug. Homme is known for interacting with the crowd in ways that range from hilarious to confrontational. He’ll stop a song to call out a fight in the pit. He’ll take a request from a sign in the front row if he thinks the person looks "cool enough."
But it hasn't all been smooth sailing. The band has had to navigate health scares and personal losses. In 2024, they had to cancel several European dates so Homme could undergo emergency surgery. It was a reminder that even the titans of the genre are human. When they returned to the stage, there was a renewed intensity. You could tell they weren't taking the ability to play for a crowd for granted.
The Gear: How They Get That Sound
For the gear nerds in the audience, a QOTSA show is a masterclass in tone. Homme famously keeps his specific settings a secret—going so far as to lie in interviews about what pedals he uses to keep people from copying him.
But on tour, you can see the staples. The Maton guitars are everywhere. The sound is mid-range heavy, "cocked-wah" tones that cut through the mix like a serrated knife. It’s not the "scooped" metal sound you hear from other heavy bands. It’s thick, warm, and slightly fuzzy.
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Troy Van Leeuwen often utilizes lap steels and vintage hollow-bodies, adding a layer of atmosphere that prevents the show from becoming a "wall of noise." This contrast is vital. It allows the quieter, more melodic moments like "Make It Wit Chu" to feel earned. It gives the audience a chance to catch their breath before the band plunges back into the chaos of "Song for the Dead."
Practical Advice for Seeing Queens of the Stone Age on Tour
If you are planning on catching them during the upcoming festival circuit or their next headlining run, there are a few things you should know. This isn't a "sit down and enjoy the show" type of band.
- Ear Protection is Mandatory: I’m not being dramatic. They are consistently ranked as one of the loudest touring acts in the world. The low-end frequencies alone can make your ears ring for days if you aren't careful. High-fidelity earplugs are your best friend here.
- The Front is a Meat Grinder: The "mosh pit" at a Queens show isn't like a hardcore punk show. It’s more of a rhythmic surge. However, during "Song for the Dead" (which is almost always the closer), things get violent in a hurry. If you have a bad back, stay toward the soundboard.
- Check the Merch Early: Their poster game is legendary. They commission local artists for limited-edition screen prints for almost every stop. These usually sell out within thirty minutes of doors opening. If you want one, get there early and bring a tube.
- Watch the Openers: Homme has a habit of picking incredible opening acts that most people haven't heard of. Whether it’s Jehnny Beth, The Armed, or Viagra Boys, the opening slot is usually a curated experience that fits the vibe of the night.
The Cultural Weight of the Tour
There’s a reason why younger bands like Royal Blood or Turnstile cite this band as a major influence. It’s the swagger. In a world of over-produced, backing-track-heavy performances, seeing Queens of the Stone Age on tour is a reminder of what a raw rock band can actually do.
They don't use "click tracks" in the traditional sense. They push and pull against the tempo. If the crowd is high-energy, the band plays faster. If the vibe is heavy and dark, they lean into the sludge. It’s a living, breathing thing.
The "End is Nero" tour specifically felt like a victory lap for a band that many thought might be done. Instead of fading away, they’ve doubled down on their weirdest instincts. They’ve embraced the fact that they are the villains of rock and roll, and they play the part perfectly.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're looking to maximize your experience with the band, don't just wait for the Ticketmaster alert.
- Monitor Setlist.fm: Before your show, track the last five nights of the tour. You’ll notice patterns in their "rotation slots," which helps you figure out which deep cuts you might actually get.
- The Secondary Market Strategy: For QOTSA, tickets often drop in price on platforms like StubHub or SeatGeek about 48 hours before the show, once the initial "scalper" hype dies down and the "panic sellers" take over.
- Join the Fan Communities: The QOTSA subreddit and the "The Fade" forums are still the best places to find out about secret pop-up shows or last-minute acoustic sets that Homme occasionally does in smaller cities.
- Listen to the Live Albums: To get your ears ready, go back and listen to Over the Years and Through the Woods. It’s the best representation of their live energy and will help you appreciate how much the arrangements have evolved since the mid-2000s.
The legacy of Queens of the Stone Age isn't found in their studio perfection, but in the sweat and feedback of the live stage. Catch them while they are still in this prime "don't give a damn" phase of their career. It’s a rare thing to see.