Caught in the endless cycle of arena spectacles and forgettable festival sets? Queens of the Stone Age have found the perfect antidote—performing among six million skeletal remains in the haunting silence of the Paris Catacombs. The band has announced “Alive in the Catacombs,” a concert film and live album that captures their unprecedented July 2024 performance in the historic underground ossuary, set for release on June 6, 2025, via Matador Records.
“This isn’t just another concert film—it’s the first time any artist has received official permission to perform in this macabre 200-mile network of tunnels housing millions of interred Parisians from the 1700s. The sheer audacity of the concept transforms what could have been a typical live album into something genuinely revolutionary in an era of increasingly homogenized music experiences. It’s a haunting reminder of how some 90s-era bands still defy expectations—true underground legends.”
The performance itself defies conventional concert expectations. With no electrical infrastructure available, the band powered their electric piano with a car battery and augmented their sound with a three-piece string section specifically assembled for the occasion. Every note was recorded live in a single take, with absolutely no overdubs or edits, preserving the raw immediacy that makes live music transcendent.
You’ll hear something rarely captured in modern concert films when “Alive in the Catacombs” drops—music that’s completely shaped by its environment rather than fighting against it. The band’s use of unconventional percussion (chains and chopsticks) creates textures uniquely suited to the ghostly acoustics of the underground chambers, while the silence between notes becomes as important as the music itself.
For Josh Homme, this project represents the culmination of a two-decade vision. “That space dictates everything; it’s in charge. You do what you’re told when you’re in there,” he explains in the trailer. This philosophy of surrendering to the environment forced the band to reimagine their catalog, creating arrangements specifically tailored to complement their somber surroundings.
This release arrives amid a growing hunger for immersive music experiences, as audiences increasingly seek out concerts that offer more than just recitals of recorded material. While most artists satisfy this demand with elaborate production, QOTSA has gone the opposite direction—stripping everything away and letting the historic setting become a collaborator.
Hélène Furminieux of Les Catacombes de Paris praised the band’s approach: “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.” This collaboration between musicians and cultural institutions represents a fascinating new model for artistic engagement with historic sites.
Fans who purchase by June 7 will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. The audio-only version will follow the film release, though no specific date has been announced. While most bands recycle predictable stadium shows, Queens of the Stone Age have created something unprecedented—a testament to what’s possible when musicians fully embrace the power of place.
