Queens of the Stone Age have officially revealed their exciting new concert film and album, showcasing a remarkable live performance recorded in the Catacombs of Paris.

Taped in July 2024, the highly anticipated release is set to drop on June 6 through Matador Records and Remote Control Records. This extraordinary performance took the iconic rock band deep beneath the bustling streets of Paris, where they played in the expansive 200-mile ossuary. This haunting location is founded on the remains of “several million bodies buried in the 1700s,” with many walls adorned with skulls and bones, creating a surreal backdrop for their music.

Josh Homme, the band’s charismatic frontman, has envisioned such a unique performance ever since his initial visit nearly twenty years ago. His previous attempts to secure permission were thwarted by the city of Paris, which had never before allowed a band to perform in this historic site. However, the unwavering respect that the band exhibited for the Catacombs ultimately led to their performance being officially authorized.

“The Catacombs of Paris are a fertile ground for the imagination,” stated Hélène Furminieux of Les Catacombes de Paris. “It is crucial for artists to engage with this extraordinary universe and provide a thoughtful interpretation of it. Delving underground and confronting themes of death can evoke a profoundly intense experience.”

“Josh seems to have intuitively grasped the full potential of this extraordinary place. The recordings resonate deeply with the mystery, history, and a unique introspective quality, especially evident in the delicate use of silence that permeates the Catacombs,” Furminieux added.

The distinctive characteristics of the Catacombs allow Homme and his talented bandmates – Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita, and Jon Theodore – to be accompanied by a three-piece string section as they execute a meticulously arranged, stripped-back set that honors the essence of the Catacombs.

Recorded live without any overdubs or edits, this remarkable performance is enhanced by the natural acoustic ambiance of dripping water, echoes, and the inherent resonance of the Catacombs, with atmospheric lighting beautifully illuminating the band members.

“We’re so stripped down because that place is so stripped down, which makes the music so stripped down, which makes the words so stripped down,” Homme articulates. “It would be absurd to try to rock out in such an environment. Every decision made was influenced by that space. It commands respect; you must heed its presence when you’re there,” he explains.

Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs will be accessible for rental or purchase through the band’s official website, with an audio-only release expected to be announced in the near future.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Queens of the Stone Age has ventured into underground performances. The band previously played 2,300 feet beneath the surface in a German salt mine, known as Erlebnisbergwerk Sondershausen, back in November 2007. Although initially intended for broader release, this semi-acoustic show has yet to be unveiled, with fans speculating that the band’s split from Interscope Records is the reason for its indefinite postponement.