Josh Homme is a rock God. Fact. So we were a little surprised to discover that he was a dedicated fan of a certain female pop star when he took to the stage with Queens Of The Stone Age at the Roundhouse in Camden on Friday as part of the iTunes Festival.
Indeed, the flame-haired guitarist declared his love for Katy Perry during the band's hour-long set, which saw them largely stick to material from their most recent album, …Like Clockwork, before cranking out classics like Go With The Flow and Song For The Dead later on.
Questioning the make-up of an "iTunes crowd" on stage, he said: "They told me this is an iTunes audience. They said, some people may look at you and say, Goddamn I wish it was Katy Perry."
He went on to praise the pop star, who is currently No.1 in the UK Singles Chart with ROAR, before continuing: "If it's an iTunes audience, it's an audience that just loves music… This audience is going to get drunk, get high and they're going to have sex with each other. iTunes is just here to watch."
Other highlights of the show included a whole crowd dance-along to No One Knows, which was accompanied striking neon visuals of motel signs, and moodily unsettling clouds brooding on the screens behind them.
At one point, under Homme's command, the audience sang Happy Birthday to keyboard player Dean Fertia. Which was rousing.
The band were supported by British indie-punks Palma Violets.
The month-long iTunes Festival continues tonight, with a special performance by Arctic Monkeys. The band, fronted by Alex Turner, also release their new album AM today.
SET LIST:
My God Is The Sun
Millionaire
No One Knows
Burn The witch
Hanging Tree
Kalopsia
In The Fade
…Like Clockwork
If I Had A Tail
Little Sister
Smooth Sailing
Make It Wit Chu
Sat By The Ocean
Sick Sick Sick
Go With The Flow
The Vampyre Of Time And Memory (Encore)
I Appear Missing
Song For The Dead
