Them Crooked Vultures

Looks like "Supergroups" don't have to be super boring after all. When John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl linked up to form a rhythm section, it turned out to be exactly what you'd hoped to get from equal parts Led Zeppelin and Nirvana. Loud and bad ass funky. With the vastly underrated Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age on vocals and guitar they created such a beautiful racket that Roseland was systematically shrunken to the size of your stoner rec-room. It was gravy and candy for lovers of hard, classic grooves and thunder-clappin' power chords. Despite no album to stump for as of yet, this show sold out in minutes and the crowd was primed. Dave Grohl, back behind the drum kit where he is a straight up Warlock pounded the crowd into submission. John Paul Jones on bass and keys, grinned all evening like he thought he'd won the audition. You know the audition where Grohl is pretending he's in the reunited, touring Zeppelin because Jason Bonham had other things to do? He didn't hurt his chances here let me tell you. Josh Homme demonstrating that he alone is willing to carry the classic guitar God mantle until somebody more interesting steps up to claim it. Which is doubtful. The man is a sick guitarist. You think it's an accident that JPJ and Grohl formed a band with this guy? Frankly, he was their leader all night and they provided his formidable backing thunder. But the songs were his it seems and they all looked happy about it. With QOTSA touring guitarist Alain Johannes filling in the rest of the sound it was a concert to remember and if you were there you are gearing up to hear the album whenever it arrives.

Them Crooked Vultures are for real.