Queens of the Stone Age “Alive In the Catacombs” Screenings Announced

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE are bringing their much-anticipated concert film, Alive In The Catacombs, to cinemas worldwide with a special series of international screenings. From June 3 to June 6, theaters in 20 countries will host these unique events. Fans will finally get to experience the band’s legendary performance filmed in the iconic Catacombs Of Paris.

Each screening will also feature a sneak peek at an intimate behind-the-scenes documentary, offering a look at the emotional and physical challenges QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE faced while creating Alive In The Catacombs. The June 4 Los Angeles event at Brain Dead Studios comes with an extra treat: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Joshua Homme will introduce the film and host a live Q&A session after the screening. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to The Sweet Stuff Foundation, a charity established by Homme.

An Unforgettable Performance in the Paris Catacombs

Filmed in July 2024, Queens Of The Stone Age: Alive In The Catacombs showcases QOTSA as you’ve never seen them before. This once-in-a-lifetime show features a curated setlist from their entire discography, with each song reinvented for the Catacombs’ haunting setting. The result is an intimate performance surrounded by millions of human remains—truly, as Homme says, “the biggest audience we’ve ever played for.”

The film has already won praise from critics: DIY magazine calls it “awe-inspiring,” Clash describes it as “completely unique,” Kerrang! labels it “incredibly special,” and Uncut magazine hails it as “revelatory.”

The Catacombs: A Venue Like No Other

Beneath Paris lies a vast 320km (200-mile) ossuary, containing the remains of millions buried in the 1700s. The Catacombs’ walls, built from skulls and bones, create an eerie yet fascinating backdrop for this historic concert.

Joshua Homme has dreamed of performing in the Catacombs since his first visit nearly 20 years ago. Until now, no artist had ever been granted permission to play in these sacred tunnels. QOTSA waited patiently for the official go-ahead before making their vision a reality.

Hélène Furminieux (Les Catacombes de Paris) said: “The Catacombs of Paris are a fertile ground for the imagination. It is important to us that artists take hold of this universe and offer a sensitive interpretation of it. Going underground and confronting reflections on death can be a deeply intense experience. Josh seems to have felt in his body and soul the full potential of this place. The recordings resonate perfectly with the mystery, history, and a certain introspection, notably perceptible in the subtle use of the silence within the Catacombs.”

Every Detail Crafted for the Catacombs

Every creative choice—from the setlist to the lighting—was made with the Catacombs’ unique environment in mind. The band embraced the natural acoustics, incorporating ambient sounds like dripping water and echoing footsteps, while atmospheric lighting amplified the music’s mood. Far removed from the comfort of a studio or a traditional stage, Alive In The Catacombs finds QOTSA meeting the challenge head-on.

Homme recalls: “We’re so stripped down because that place is so stripped down, which makes the music so stripped down, which makes the words so stripped down… It would be ridiculous to try to rock there. All those decisions were made by that space. That space dictates everything, it’s in charge. You do what you’re told when you’re in there.”

QOTSA at Their Rawest and Most Inventive

This performance distills QOTSA to their purest form—Joshua Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita, and Jon Theodore, joined by a trio of string players. With no standard power sources, the band improvises, using chains and chopsticks for percussion and even rigging a car battery to power an electric piano. Alive In The Catacombs is QOTSA at their most stripped-back, recording each song live in a single, unedited take. Words can hardly capture the impact of Queens Of The Stone Age: Alive In The Catacombs. Its breathtaking blend of subtlety and grandeur must be experienced to be believed.

CLICK OR TAP HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICIAL QOTSA WEBSITE

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