Queens of the Stone Age Go Underground in Alive in the Catacombs
First it hit cinemas. Then on-demand. Now it’s free, online, and impossible to ignore. Alive in the Catacombs, the film documenting Queens of the Stone Age’s July 2024 performance inside the Paris Catacombs, is officially streaming. And yeah, it’s exactly as intense as it sounds.
This isn’t your standard “stripped-down” session. No fake candles. No cozy unplugged branding. Instead, Josh Homme and crew descend into one of the most unsettling venues on Earth, surrounded by the remains of millions of people. Homme calls it “the biggest audience we’ve ever played to.” Dark joke. Real chills.
The setting forced the band to rethink everything. Rock bravado? Left at the entrance. Volume wars? Not invited.
Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita, and Jon Theodore performed with a deliberately minimal setup, joined by a three-piece string section. An electric piano powered by a car battery. Chains and sticks repurposed as percussion. Silence treated like an instrument, not dead air.
“It would be ridiculous to try to do rock in there,” Homme says in the film. “The space decides everything. You don’t lead. You listen.”
And that’s the whole point. The Catacombs don’t care who you are. They dictate the tempo, the tension, the tone.
According to Hélène Furminieux of the Catacombs de Paris, the underground space is “fertile ground for the imagination.” Artists are encouraged to absorb it and respond honestly. No spectacle for spectacle’s sake.
That philosophy is all over Alive in the Catacombs. The performance leans into restraint, introspection, and controlled discomfort. The silences hit as hard as the notes. The echo isn’t just reverb, it’s history bouncing back at you.
This isn’t a flex. It’s a confrontation.
The Catacombs show didn’t stay underground. It sparked the idea for Queens of the Stone Age’s subsequent theatrical tour, which later rolled through Europe, including Italy. Smaller rooms. Closer crowds. Less noise, more intention.
If the Catacombs performance felt like a ritual, the tour felt like its aftershock.
Also streaming is Alive in Paris and Before (Behind the Scenes), directed by Andreas Neumann. It pulls back the curtain on how the film came together, from logistics to mindset. No glam. Just pressure, patience, and respect for a space that doesn’t bend.
FAQ
What is Alive in the Catacombs?
A live performance film documenting Queens of the Stone Age playing inside the Paris Catacombs in July 2024.
Is the performance acoustic?
Not fully. The band used electric instruments, but with a minimal, space-driven setup.
Where can I watch it?
The film is now available to stream for free online, along with a behind-the-scenes documentary.