Josh Homme, frontman of Queens of the Stone Age, recently fulfilled a longtime dream by recording a concert film inside one of the most haunting sites on earth: the Paris Catacombs.
The catch? The opportunity came just two days after health issues caused him to cancel a European tour following his battle with cancer. Despite being physically unwell and in significant pain, the Palm Desert native pressed forward.
Homme and the band performed an acoustic set in the famous underground site while accompanied by three string players. The film, “Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs,” opens with Homme lying on a stone slab surrounded by skulls and bones before rising to begin the performance.
The 28-minute film pairs stunning visuals with a soundtrack that includes “Running Joke/Paper Machete,” “Kalopsia,” “Villains of Circumstance,” “Suture Up Your Future” and “I Never Came.” The setlist underscores themes of impermanence, survival and resilience.
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Plaza Theatre will screen “Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs,” followed by a Q&A with Homme.
In a recent interview over Zoom while the band was on tour in Austin, Homme said the timing of the July 2024 performance in the Catacombs “felt meant to be.”
“What are the chances that something would take 20 years and when it finally came to be, I would be facing a serious illness at the time?” Homme said. “There aren’t a lot of moments where you get to show who you are, or maybe you can say what you’re made of, or really show yourself. But it wasn’t going to be easy. To my understanding, all the best things in life are about struggle and difficulty. It’s the most relatable thing we have. I guess I almost felt blessed to have something to overcome there.”
Securing permission for the band to perform in the Catacombs was difficult, but the underground tomb itself is a popular attraction — though currently closed for restoration work until spring 2026 — drawing curious tourists, history buffs and thrill-seekers who descend into the labyrinth to walk among the six million souls resting there. For those who have never visited and are curious, Homme described it as “an organic place.”
“People tend to be very quiet in there and speak in whispers for some reason, out of respect. But you hear the gravel crunch under your steps, the ceiling dripping, the breeze that’s pumped in there so you can breathe, and you’re cut off completely from the world above. There’s a beautiful, silent soundtrack that’s happening there. … I think the environment is in control of the mood there,” Homme said.
‘The Catacombs looms large’
While battling cancer, Homme admitted he felt lost in music and was searching for inspiration. Playing in the Catacombs, he said, “meant so much more than I could have imagined.” But the mixing process of the performance left him shaken. He recalled feeling panic and disappointment when the sound didn’t match his expectations.
“I was so adamant about capturing the sound of this place, but I was disconnected from the visual, and then I saw the visual for the first time with the sound, and I was taken aback because the visual of the Catacombs is so dominating. It felt like we were a small piece of the film, which is what I really was hoping we would be. The Catacombs looms large and we just happened to be playing the soundtrack to witnessing this thing,” Homme said.
After performing in the Catacombs, Homme said he feels “recharged” and is eager about what lies ahead, noting that things often come in threes. He also reflected on how the setting has influenced his writing, particularly in themes such as morality, duality and the contrast between beauty and darkness in his music.
“It’s the law of three. In-N-Out Burger has three options. Shakespeare has three-act plays. I believe each artist has three acts in their career. The Catacombs was so impactful for me that if I’m not mistaken, we just started our third act here and being there. Those subject matters that I’m often writing about are the ones I’m confused about, and I haven’t always been good at writing about what I already understand. I feel like I’m trying to write about what I don’t understand, and the Catacombs lent itself to seeing the beauty and the confusion,” Homme said.
‘I can’t go back to what we’ve been doing’
When asked how he thinks about the future of Queens of the Stone Age, he said “I was thinking to myself, ‘I can’t go back to what we’ve been doing.'” The band’s current tour, “The Catacombs Tour,” signifies a shift. It begins with an acoustic and orchestral sound, evolves with strings and horns, and sometimes closes with a rock finale.
“I realized it’s not important for me to focus on what I can’t do. I see us moving forward into something completely different,” Homme said. “This (‘The Catacombs Tour’) and the way we’re experiencing our desires of what we want to do as a band, it’s just different. Now it’s not about going back. I’m more excited about what we’re going to do in the future. I know things will never be the same though.”
Homme mentioned that his other projects, such as Desert Sessions and Eagles of Death Metal, alongside fellow Palm Desert native Jesse Hughes, will release new material in the future.
“I’m a father first before anything else, it’s just an issue of time. I used to be such a workaholic. I felt like I was trying to get as many ideas done. When you have a lot of ideas, you feel like you’re racing. I’d love to do another Eagles of Death Metal record and another Desert Sessions, and there’s no reason to ever stop those things,” Homme said.
Also, he wants to bring “The Catacombs Tour” to the Coachella Valley and said, “I already tried to go to the McCallum. It’s booked until God knows when.”
“We’re looking around (for other venues) because it would give me that feeling of whenever I go home … it’s just that feeling of hope. So, I feel I must bring this home,” Homme said.
When Homme, an avid reader, was asked about his recent reading, he laughed and mentioned that he has been focusing on more health-conscious material lately and described his last read as “very unsexy” but enjoyable.
“I’ve enjoyed reading about pickling things lately, and fermented things. It’s sparked a new interest in me. So many things I’m doing are about the kitchen,” Homme said.
If you go
What: Screening of the film “Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs” and Q&A with Josh Homme
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9
Where: Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Cost: $30
More info: palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/
Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Josh Homme talks Paris Catacombs ahead of Plaza Theatre film screening
Reporting by Brian Blueskye, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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