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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s nice to be in a place that flies its freak flag so fucking high,\u201d said Homme as he addressed the audience several songs into the performance. Basking in freakiness was clearly part of the mission, with act two beginning with an ominous throbbing horn sound that soon gave way to a small orchestra playing behind the curtain. The dramatic combination of \u201cSomeone\u2019s in the Wolf, \u201cA Song for the Deaf,\u201d and \u201cStraight Jacket Fitting\u201d was heightened by Homme wielding a cleaver in one hand and his microphone in the other. On songs like the regal and almost medieval-sounding \u201cMosquito Song\u201d and a version of \u201cKeep Your Eyes Peeled that was given almost a trip-hop soundtrack with lucious tuba driving it all, the string and horn sections were able to show off. The pinnacle of this came during a version of Them Crooked Vultures\u2019 \u201cSpinning In Daffodils\u201d that included an eloquent piano solo before the onslaught of evil carnival orchestral sounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Homme had stormed the stage with a cigarette and a glass of wine in hand to aid his harmonizing with Michael Shuman, it was clear the time to cut loose had arrived, and act three would be the rock and roll portion of the show. This started with the classic groover \u201cYou Got A Killer Scene There, Man\u2026 \u201c loaded with devious percussion and a whiff of rockabilly. \u201cThe Vampyre of Time and Memory\u201d was one of the most powerful numbers of the night, with Homme playing keys, while tunes like \u201cAuto Pilot\u201d and \u201cFortress\u201d simmered with guitar-driven force, as the orchestra of Portland musicians added rich textures to the heaviness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time the band and their new musical compadres took a bow, they had shown the audience another dimension of Queens of the Stone Age. While this tour will surely have a few fans grumbling over the more subdued, warped presentation of the songs, it felt like a theatrical tour de force that captured the band\u2019s spirit while presenting their music in a new light. In Portland, it was evident that perhaps they would never do this again, giving the audience all the more reason to savor the entire experience.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
All photos by Greg Homolka.<\/p>\n
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