Queens of the Stone Age Announce ‘Alive in the Catacombs’ Film

Queens of the Stone Age have announced a unique concert film shot in the Catacombs of Paris.

Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs was recorded in July 2024 and marks the first time that an artist has been given permission to perform within the famed tombs. Located beneath the city of Paris, and spanning roughly 200 miles, the Catacombs contain several million bodies buried during the 1700s. Most of the skeletons remain exposed, meaning Queens of the Stone Age was performing to an audience of the dead.

“If you’re ever going to be haunted, surrounded by several million dead people is the place. I’ve never felt so welcome in my life,” frontman Josh Homme remarked via press release, joking that the Catacombs performance featured “the biggest audience we’ve ever played for.”

For more than 20 years, Homme dreamt of having Queens of the Stone Age perform in the ancient tombs. However, considering the city of Paris had never sanctioned such an undertaking, the idea seemed impossible.

“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,” noted Hélène Furminieux, a representative for Les Catacombes de Paris. “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.”

Queens of the Stone Age ‘Stripped Down’ for Their Catacombs Performance

Queens of the Stone Age’s performance was carefully curated to fit the location, with a specialized set list and reworked song arrangements designed to reflect the distinctive experience.

“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,” Homme explained. “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.”

With no electricity and only a car battery to power their electric piano, Queens of the Stone Age managed to bring their songs to life through raw emotion. The band was augmented by a three-piece string section for the performance, adding further layers to the tunes. Everything was recorded live in one take, with no overdubs or edits.

Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs will be released on June 5 and is available for pre-order now. Additionally, the band noted that a live album version of the performance will be announced in the coming weeks.

Watch the Trailer for ‘Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs’