Show Review & Photos: Queens of the Stone Age @ the Paramount

Posted on 05/14/2026 by BBS

Queens of the Stone Age @ the Paramount – 4/29/26
Show Review by Wendy Colton
Photos by Rachel Crick

Queens of the Stone Age‘s Josh Homme – photo by Rachel Crick

Unplugged Queens of the Stone Age Electrifies Seattle

More dark cabaret than rock show, this angular, stripped-down performance was a far cry from the beefy, radio-hit-heavy Queens of the Stone Age concerts we’ve moshed through before. Tickets didn’t sell out in minutes – they vanished in seconds worldwide. The buzz around this tour, supporting their latest EP Alive in the Catacombs – recorded literally underground in a Paris ossuary lined with human skulls – is very real.

Josh Homme appeared trim and debonair, perfectly suited to the Paramount’s old-world glamour: tailored suit, gold watch, even a matching tooth. Swinging an antique lantern – casting slow, moody shadows or whipping up stark urgency – the band reimagined opening songs and deep cuts into something slippery and atmospheric, launching the first of three distinct acts with inky precision.

Weird? Yes. Cool? Absolutely. During “Suture Up Your Future,” Homme wielded an actual meat cleaver. The hushed audience hovered between enchantment and intimidation. Do we laugh? Pray? Cheer? Cry? All of the above. At one point, he slipped into the aisles, casually swinging the cleaver, crooning to a few lucky fans, even waltzing a few into a brief, swoony spin.

Josh Homme of QOTSA – photo by Rachel Crick

Act II lifted the curtain on a small orchestra – local players adding lush strings, horns, woodwinds, and even theremin. Paired with deep electronic bass triggers and Homme’s heavy guitar, the sound was anything but sleepy: modern, sleek, and intense. Think EDM festival meets avant-garde theater, minus the excess.

A pre-show call to “dress your best” paid off – less black band tee uniform, more chic and foxy. Still, the black band tee and merch line snaked up the stairs, wrapped the mezzanine, and climbed to the third floor. Those gold-foiled posters didn’t stand a chance.

By Act III, a tumbler of liquor and cigarette perched on the piano, Homme could have tipped into cliché. Instead, it read as effortless – cosmopolitan, not loungy. Mature, but still dangerous. Not too serious. Still unmistakably badass. Emphasis on the piano.

Josh Homme – photo by Rachel Crick

Even after an impossibly intimate a cappella duet with bassist Michael Shuman, it’s hard not to call this The Josh Show. As the sole remaining original member, he’s the gravitational center. Troy Van Leeuwen – five albums deep – remains a quieter genius. But every eye in the room tracks Homme. Four decades in, he’s grown into a towering rock figure: multi-instrumentalist, collaborator, headline magnet, complete with myth, feuds, and legend.

Back onstage, he spoke warmly about Seattle – his time on Capitol Hill at 24 (“a virgin”), attending Seattle Central, the invitation to join Screaming Trees. A little tequila in the mix, sure, but the affection felt genuine. The crowd roared when he recalled QOTSA’s first show at the OK Hotel. By the time he told us we were the best audience of the tour, the last reserved fan let loose. Connection achieved.

This tour hints at a new branch of rock performance – part residency, part theater, part reinvention. You can feel the lineage, the influence, the evolution. It’s still QOTSA at the root: a hard rock, platinum-selling band with stadium dates ahead. But this darker, more sophisticated offshoot? It’s going far. Turn and face the strange.

After a sing-along of “Long Slow Goodbye,” the band clinked glasses and waved goodnight, emotion just under the surface. A Mark Lanegan track played as the lights came up. The audience drifted out.

But the magic – of the music, the night, the Paramount, Les Catacombs de Paris – didn’t drift far.

It’s still right here.

Queens of the Stone Age – all photos by Rachel Crick

Deep cuts:

ACT I

Running Joke/Paper Machete

Kalopsia

Villains Of Circumstance

Suture Up Your Future

ACT II

Never Came

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

Easy Street

Fortress

…Like Clockwork

ENCORE

Long Slow Goodbye

Show Review and Photos: Puscifer and Dave Hill @ WAMU Theater

Posted on 05/12/2026 by Diane Webb

Puscifer Transforms WAMU Theater Into an Immersive Live Experience

SEATTLE (May 9, 2026) — On a dry and gorgeous spring evening in Seattle, fans filtered steadily into the WAMU Theater on Saturday, while thousands of Seattle Sounders supporters packed neighboring Lumen Field just steps away. The overlap created a lively atmosphere throughout the stadium complex, though lines into the venue moved smoothly as concertgoers, most appearing comfortably over 30, prepared for an evening with Puscifer and opener Dave Hill.

Before entering, fans were met with unmistakable reminders of the evening’s rules. Signs posted on both sides of every glass entry and exit door read: “No Photos, No Video.” Minutes before showtime, a repeated announcement echoed through the theater instructing the crowd to keep phones in their pockets and refrain from taking photos or video during the performance. Audience members were then prompted to shout back, “We Understand,” a humorous but deliberate ritual that doubled as the show’s introduction.

For longtime followers of Maynard James Keenan’s projects, the policy came as no surprise. Through Puscifer, Tool and A Perfect Circle, Keenan has long enforced a no-phone approach designed to keep audiences immersed in the performance rather than distracted by glowing screens. While initially jarring in today’s hyper-documented concert culture, the result inside WAMU Theater was undeniable: a crowd fully engaged with the performance unfolding in front of them.

Hill opened the evening with an entertaining one-man performance blending stand-up comedy, music and audience interaction. The New York-based comedian and musician connected immediately with the Seattle crowd, drawing loud laughs throughout his set. Songs including “Dollar Tree” and “Dangerous Snakes Who Hate Bullshit” highlighted Hill’s absurdist humor and offbeat musical style, while his Seattle-specific crowd work landed especially well.

By the time Puscifer took the stage shortly after 9 p.m., the atmosphere had shifted dramatically. Fog, intense lighting and theatrical staging transformed the venue into something closer to performance art than a traditional rock concert. Keenan and vocalist Carina Round appeared as fully realized characters, complete with theatrical makeup and elaborate stage outfits that enhanced the show’s surreal tone.

The band’s current tour supports its February 2026 release, “Normal Isn’t,” and much of the nearly two-hour set focused on newer material while still leaving room for fan favorites. Songs including “The Algorithm,” “Bullet Train to Iowa” and “Grand Canyon” showcased the band’s ability to move seamlessly between electronic textures, heavy grooves and atmospheric soundscapes.

A mid-show “Bangers and Mashups” video segment added another layer of multimedia absurdity that fit naturally within Puscifer’s bizarre creative universe. Musically, the band remained exceptionally tight throughout the evening, with producer and guitarist Mat Mitchell anchoring the performance while Round’s vocals provided a haunting counterbalance to Keenan’s understated delivery.

What ultimately separated the evening from countless modern concerts was the audience’s presence. Without the obstruction of phones and recording screens, reactions felt immediate and communal. Fans laughed together, watched intently and engaged directly with the performance in real time.

For Seattle audiences willing to surrender their devices for a few hours, Puscifer delivered a theatrical, immersive and deeply engaging performance that rewarded full attention from start to finish.

Puscifer Gallery

Dave Hill Gallery

Photos: Maye & Ambar Lucid @ The Crocodile

Posted on 05/08/2026 by Kirk

Maye & Ambar Lucid @ The Crocodile – 5/3/2026
Photos by Kirk Stauffer

Maye and Ambar Lucid brought their co-headlining Entre Dos Mundos Tour to The Crocodile earlier this week. Their bilingual, dreamy, indie-pop styles were the perfect complement for each other. LA-based singer-songwriter Judith opened.

Maye & Ambar Lucid – Photos by Kirk Stauffer

Judith – Photos by Kirk Stauffer

Cabaret Voltaire at the Moore Theatre

Posted on 05/05/2026 by Mike Mitchell

Legend has it that Cabaret Voltaire’s first public performance in the mid 1970’s ended in a riot. By contrast, last night’s Moore Theatre set by the English post punk/industrial/dance band was received with obvious approval and affection by the enthusiastic audience.

Vocalist/bassist/keyboard player Stephen Mallinder is the remaining touring member of Cabaret Voltaire, originally comprised of Mallinder, Richad H Kirk, and Chris Watson. Kirk passed in 2021 and Watson is currently unable to tour due to health concerns. Mallinder has backfilled the band with Tara Busch on keyboards and vocals (Busch also opened the show as ‘I Speak Machine’, performing solo), Eric Random on guitar and keyboards, and Ben Edwards on percussion. The band did an outstanding job of delivering material that spanned the Cab’s long career. Given that some of the compositions date from over 40 years ago I was struck by how fresh and contemporary it translated to in a live setting. Both New Order and Trent Reznor have acknowledged their debt to the catalog and aesthetic of Cabaret Voltaire, who manages to feel utterly contemporary even after more than a half a century. ‘Legacy’ acts (which is just a snooty way of saying ‘bands that can still draw attention and an audience after a long career) can sometimes be a bit wan or pallid. Such was not the case last night. Mallinder and crew were focused, intense, and good fun with an emphasis on capturing the spirit of the band rather than serving up spot on recreations of their recorded catalog.

Monday night’s set began with a confident (and LOUD) version of ’24-24′ from 1983’s ‘The Crackdown’. The Moore, with its theater stye seating, was an interesting choice of venue for a band with such a strong and dance-oriented groove. The audience seemed at first a bit flummoxed by stationary nature of the arrangement but soon stood to dance at their seats or in the aisles. Cabaret Voltaire makes very difficult music to sit still to and the crowd eventually succumbed to the omnipresent groove. The floor shaking rhythms and deep groove continued through the band’s powerful set with it being abundantly clear that Cabaret Voltaire both influenced and are in turn influenced themselves by the house and dance music worlds.

Cabaret Voltaire’s first US tour in over 30 years (and, quite likely, their last extended outing) continues with West Coast dates through mid-May. The band will resume the tour on the East Coast in September.

Show Review and Photos: Helloween & Beast In Black @ Paramount Theatre

Posted on 05/04/2026 by Diane Webb

Helloween - Paramount Theatre - 2026-4-28

Four Decades Later, Helloween Reignites the Paramount Theatre in Seattle

SEATTLE (April 28, 2026) — Forty years ago, Helloween stepped onto the stage at the Paramount Theatre and introduced Seattle to a sound that would help define European power metal. For one teenage fan in the crowd, myself, it was an instant conversion, the kind that turns a casual listener into a lifelong devotee.

On Tuesday, the German legends returned to that same room, closing a circle four decades in the making.

Fans filtered steadily into the Paramount throughout the evening, taking advantage of early doors that made entry smooth and unhurried. There was no crush at the entrance, just a constant stream of concertgoers filing in with quiet anticipation. Inside, the venue swelled to near capacity, building the unmistakable tension of an almost sold out show ready to erupt.

Beast In Black set that tone early.

Despite the absence of founding guitarist Anton Kabanen, who remained overseas to meet recording deadlines, the band delivered a performance that never felt diminished. Their set was tight, driving, and immediate, locking into the crowd’s energy from the first notes.

Songs like “Hardcore,” “One Night in Tokyo,” “Die By The Blade,” and “Blind and Frozen” landed with force, drawing loud cheers and keeping the floor in constant motion. The balance of newer material and fan favorites gave the set a sense of momentum without losing its celebratory edge. By the time they stepped offstage, the room was fully awake and ready.

At 8:45 p.m., Helloween took command.

Opening with “March of Time,” the band launched into a set that stretched well past two hours, pulling from a catalog that spans generations. “This Is Tokyo,” “Future World,” “I Want Out,” and “Eagle Fly Free” ignited waves of singalongs, while deeper cuts like “The King for a 1000 Years,” “Universe (Gravity for Hearts),” and the epic “Halloween” reinforced the band’s legacy as architects of the genre.

Selections from their latest release, “Giants and Monsters,” blended seamlessly alongside classics, while a strong portion of the set paid tribute to “Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I,” still regarded as a cornerstone of power metal.

Visually, the production balanced simplicity with imagination. The stage itself remained traditional, anchored by mic stands, monitors, and an elevated drum riser, while a massive digital backdrop carried the storytelling. The Keeper, a recurring figure in the band’s mythology, appeared throughout the night as a narrator, guiding the audience between songs. Scenes shifted from album inspired imagery to graveyards filled with bats, towering pumpkins, and even a playful van reminiscent of a cartoon mystery machine.

Helloween’s history remains as layered as their sound. Over the decades, the lineup has evolved through both triumph and loss. Drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg departed in 1993 due to health issues and passed away in 1995, a loss that still resonates with fans. Vocalist Michael Kiske left that same year, only to return triumphantly in 2016 in a moment that reshaped the band’s future. Guitarist Kai Hansen also rejoined during that period, reconnecting Helloween with its earliest era.

They now stand alongside vocalist Andi Deris, drummer Dani Löble, guitarist Sascha Gerstner, and founding members Markus Grosskopf and Michael Weikath, creating a lineup that feels both historic and revitalized.

Onstage, that chemistry is undeniable. Three guitarists layer harmonies with precision, dual vocalists trade soaring lines with ease, and the rhythm section drives everything forward with relentless force. This was not simply a reunion, it is a fully realized version of the band, one that expands on its past while pushing forward.

As the final notes echoed through the Paramount, the weight of the moment settled in. This was more than a tour stop. It was a return, a reflection, and a reminder of how deeply music can connect a band and a city across decades.

With the North American leg of their 2026 tour now complete, Helloween heads next to Japan, followed by dates across Europe and South America. If this night in Seattle proved anything, it is that their fire is far from fading.

Helloween Gallery

Beast In Black Gallery

Beast In Black - Paramount Theatre - 2026-4-28

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