Queens Of The Stone Age brought their UK and European ‘Catacombs’ tour to an end with a breathtaking show at London’s Royal Albert Hall last night (Wednesday October 29) – airing new material and performing with Matt Berry during a stripped-back and emotional set. Check out photos, footage, the setlist and more below.
In keeping with the spirit of their recent live concert film, documentary and live album ‘Alive In The Catacombs‘, Josh Homme and co delivered a much more stripped-back affair than their usual hard rock bluster.
Split into three sets, the first part saw the band recreate the sonics and intimate aesthetic of their Paris Catacombs performance, as the show rolled on by inviting a string section to the stage and gradually blossoming into a more full-band affair that drew on the band’s more soulful, sideways and esoteric material.
Miles Kane, Graham Norton and Bad Seeds icon Warren Ellis were in the audience, as well Homme’s parents.
“What an honour and a privilege and a joy it is to see you,” said Homme, addressing the sold out auditorium.
“When I bought the music business with my dad’s money, I knew it was gonna be a tough time,” joked the frontman about his humble desert beginnings, before paying tribute to his parents in the crowd. “Don’t point them out, they might have a heart attack.”
Homme continued: “They done good because life is a chaotic, difficult holy shit of ‘What the fuck just happened?’ You don’t have go be afraid when you’re alone because honestly it’s too fucking late, and there’s a comfort in that.”
As well as Homme weilding a meat cleaver and regularly strolling through the crowd and stalls in full lounge lizard mode, highlights of the set included an orchestral reimagining of ‘Songs For The Deaf’ deep-cut ‘Mosquito Song’, an out of Them Crooked Vultures‘ ‘Spinning in Daffodils’, the full and epic Bond theme treatment being given to ‘The Vampyre of Time and Memory’, bassist Michael Shuman taking over lead vocal duties for a dynamic performance of ‘Auto Pilot’ and the airing of new song ‘Easy Street’.
The latter saw the audience invited to clap along to the flamenco rhythms of the track, showcasing a more laidback and luxurious direction for the band, complete with some David Bowie ‘Heroes’-esque guitar work.
Oosh. @qotsa bring the Catacombs to @RoyalAlbertHall. Here’s the Flamenco meets Bowie new one ‘Easy Street’. pic.twitter.com/ljGwOaIOn9
— Andrew Trendell (@AndrewTrendell) October 30, 2025
Completing a unique, once-in-a lifetime set of the band’s more intricate and colourful work, Homme and Shuman exchanged lead vocals on an a capella performance of ‘Long Slow Goodbye’ backed by the iconic Royal Albert Hall organ – revealed after as being played by comedian, actor and musician Matt Berry of The IT Crowd and Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace fame.
Homme then bid farewell by dedicating the show to the memory of late friend, bandmate and collaborator Mark Lanegan.
Queens Of The Stone Age’s Royal Albert Hall setlist was:
Act I
‘Running Joke’ / ‘Paper Machete’
‘Kalopsia’
‘Villains of Circumstance’
‘Suture Up Your Future’
‘I Never Came’
Act II
‘Someone’s in the Wolf’ / ‘A Song for the Deaf’ / ‘Straight Jacket Fitting’
‘Mosquito Song’
‘Keep Your Eyes Peeled’
‘Spinning In Daffodils’ (Them Crooked Vultures cover)
Act III
‘”You Got a Killer Scene There, Man…”‘
‘Hideaway’
‘The Vampyre of Time and Memory’
‘Auto Pilot’ (Michael Shuman on vocals)
‘Easy Street’ (new song)
‘Fortress’
‘…Like Clockwork’
Encore:
‘Long Slow Goodbye’
(Joshua Homme and Michael Shuman a capella, with Matt Berry on the Royal Albert Hall Organ)
With QOTSA set to return to the road next year with stadium support dates with System Of A Down in the UK and Europe and Foo Fighters in North America, fans are expecting the follow-up to ‘In Times New Roman‘ to arrive in 2026.
Queens Of The Stone Age’s ‘Catacombs Tour’ continues through North America and Mexico. Visit here for tickets and more information.
