FORDS, NJ—On Thursday, May 30, Queens Of The Stone Age announced they would be performing at local NJ record store, Vintage Vinyl. This rare and intimate performance would take place the following Thursday on June 6. In order to get a wristband and ticket into the venue, you had to pre-order their latest album, …Like Clockwork. Living only five minutes away, I got into my car and headed over to purchase the vinyl. The show was sold out in just a few hours, and I would be attending the show as one of the lucky ones.
With a band of this caliber heading to my local record store, I had no idea when to get to the venue, assuming no matter what time, there would be a line heading out of the building. Fortunately for me, this was not the case when I got there around 8 p.m. A group of kids waiting in line since four in the afternoon were the only ones ahead of me. As time went on and one Gaslight Anthem record later, the line circled around the CD racks and grew longer and longer. One last soundcheck before the band finally hit the stage a little after 10 p.m. The crowd was excited for this rare performance of a band they’ve been following for years. Surrounding me was a cluster of kids from Brooklyn who couldn’t wait to see the show, yelling quibbles back and forth with Josh Homme as the group took the stage. After a few jokes here and there, the band kicked off their set with “My God Is The Sun” followed by “If I Had A Tail.” They alternated between old hits and songs from the new record throughout the set. QOTSA played songs from Rated R, Lullabies To Paralyze and Era Vulgaris in between songs from …Like Clockwork. “Burn The Witch” and Rated R’s “Monsters In The Parasol” were separated with a performance of “I Sat By The Ocean.” In between songs, Homme liked to joke around with the audience. The band soon broke into a love song; well, their version of a love song, “Make It Wit Chu.”
Homme went into a short speech about the importance of supporting local record stores. He spoke a bit about their last time at Vintage Vinyl 13 years ago, and how much he enjoyed the store. It was a pleasant experience sharing the same passion about local record stores with the group. One attendee in particular not only shared record store love with Homme, but also his beer. In between songs, he gave his red Solo cup to an attendee with a long black beard because Homme said, “He’s a man on the edge. The beard gives it away.” In lieu of sharing a drink with everyone, he decided to give us “Little Sister.” They finished their set with the exceptional “I Appear Missing.” When the show ended, the fans wanted more. With time left, they decided not to do another song, but meet the fans and sign a few things until the store would close at midnight.
Although I forgot my vinyl, thinking it was just an in-store performance, I was able to get a hold of a CD sleeve for the impromptu signing. I told guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen I would be doing a review in a future issue of The Aquarian, and he told me to do my absolute worst and laughed. He then said the band felt great and he loved the atmosphere in the store. They were all smiles as they signed everything from my CD sleeve to other records, posters and the more creative articles of clothing. In addition, Josh and Troy were open to hugs and photos with those who asked. Queens Of The Stone Age, an internationally known band, gave an incredible performance in this local record store in Fords, NJ. Why? They love music, they love records, and they love performing. Homme kept the mood light and enjoyable in between songs from their old catalog and from their new album, …Like Clockwork. Queens Of The Stone Age and the crowd were all smiles throughout the night, making it a show to remember for everyone involved.
