13.07.2025 at Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna

I would not call myself a Queens of the Stone Age devotee. Truth be told, their music doesn’t often feature in my playlists, and the harder edges of rock are not my natural habitat. And yet, on the warm evening of July 13th in Vienna, I found myself swept into a sea of sound, light, and energy that felt utterly irresistible.

The band played with the kind of confidence that only comes from years of inhabiting big stages. Every riff, every drumbeat, every moment seemed designed to ignite the crowd—and it worked. I caught myself smiling, moving, and even shouting along, despite not knowing the songs by heart. There’s a certain magic in that, in surrendering to an atmosphere rather than a setlist.

Part of the experience was, of course, the city itself. Attending a concert abroad is always a small cultural study: how the audience reacts, how they celebrate, the starting time (spoiler: always earlier than Italy, sooo much better!) to appreciate the unique textures of live music across borders.

I walked away that night lighter, buzzing with adrenaline and gratitude. Not necessarily converted into a rock fan, but reminded that music—any music, in the right moment—has the power to bridge taste, culture and expectation. Sometimes you don’t need to love the band to love the concert.

Setlist / at Wiener Stadthalle

Little Sister
In My Head
Smooth Sailing
My God Is the Sun
Emotion Sickness
If I Had a Tail
Paper Machete
Suture Up Your Future
Misfit Love
(/w band introduction)
I Sat by the Ocean
Carnavoyeur
Regular John
3’s & 7’s
Made to Parade
Make It Wit Chu (/w parts of The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You “)
Go With the Flow
No One Knows
A Song for the Dead