Queens of the Stone Age: Niagara Falls, NY

It was that moment in which we suspend our disbelief every time: Will they play an encore or not? You know they will, and they do, but you still wonder. It was that moment when Josh Homme (contender for coolest front man in Rock, shoe-in for coolest ginger) walked out from back-stage with a lit cigarette. Leaning into the mic he says, “No Smoking,” and smiles. He takes a beat, looks into the crowd and points out that this is their first show in over two years. “It feels good,” he says. He takes another drag, smiles a sly smile, and says, “It feels REAL good.” He flicks his cigarette and immediately kicks the band back into high-gear. That moment captures Queens of the Stone Age’s show in Niagara Falls perfectly. After a two year hiatus, the band is “back together” beginning right here in the falls, supporting their upcoming album, “Villains”. It’s safe to assume this was a test show, being at a smaller venue with no recording devices or photography allowed. But you would never guess when feeling the energy in the room. They hit the stage performing “Feel Good Hit of the Summer,” working Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” into it. From there they popped into “No One Knows,” followed by ”My God is the Sun” and “Smooth Sailing.” Most importantly, Queens of the Stone Age debuted their first new single “The Way You Used to Do” and a brand new unheard track, “The Evil Has Landed,” a slow-building track which hits hard toward the end. They always say a great band can make an big venue feel like a small room. But in this case, the trick was turning a small room into what felt like an arena, and Queens of the Stone Age pulled it off. Full Set List: Feel Good Hit of the Summer (with Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" snippet) No One Knows My God Is the Sun Smooth Sailing Burn the Witch Misfit Love The Vampyre of Time and Memory If I Had a Tail Make It Wit Chu The Way You Used to Do (Live debut) You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, but I Feel Like a Millionaire 3's & 7's Sick, Sick, Sick I Sat by the Ocean Little Sister The Evil Has Landed (World premiere) Go With the Flow