‘We like fresh blood’: Queens of the Stone Age open Mona Foma’s three weekends in rock star style

Mona Foma has officially launched for 2024, with the festival opening in true rock star style thanks to Queens of the Stone Age – and a plea from director Brian Ritchie for “fresh blood”.

Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme and Mona Foma Festival Director Brian Ritchie. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has promised to “give a little blood” to Tasmanian fans as this year’s Mona Foma opens in true rock star style.

The iconic band behind “No One Knows” and “Go with the Flow” landed in Tasmania on Wednesday to play two gigs for this year’s summer music festival before getting “back to work” – and resuming its Australian tour on Saturday.

Speaking to journalists on the museum’s lawns to kick off this year’s Mona Foma, Homme said he wished he could stick around for longer to see some of the other acts like Darren Hanlon and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, or Nigerian artist Emeka Ogboh’s food, gin, art and music installation, Boats.

“Oh my God, I’m missing out. It should be called FOMO (fear of missing out) rather than Foma,” Homme joked.

It’s the band’s fourth trip to Hobart, and the second time it has played an additional, semi-acoustic gig for Tasmanian children’s charities.

Queens of the Stone Age performing at Mona in 2018. Pictures: MONA

“It’s starting to feel like a wonderful habit,” he said.

“This feels like such a well-kept secret, and I hate it when everyone gives away a secret on the best place. It really has this small-town, big-heart feel that my home town has.”

He said the band would be in Hobart “not long enough”.

“We were here yesterday waltzing around town. I do look at this as a time away. I look at this the same way I feel about going to Joshua Tree for a nice little recharge.”

Homme said he promised to give “a little blood on stage” at the band’s two Tasmanian concerts this year.

“I promise it will be something new, that’s all I’ve got to give,” he said.

“And then you just give whatever you think is right, coming back.”

Homme said he hoped Queens of the Stone Age would return annually to Tasmania.

Brian Ritchie – festival director and long-time Violent Femmes bassist – said he felt the same way as Homme when he first arrived in the state.

“I came here similarly about 16 years ago, but unlike Josh, I’ve never left,” he said.

Ritchie encouraged people to join in – over the next three weekends of Mona Foma, “or a lifetime”.

“This is Tasmania. We need some more people. We like fresh blood, especially artists.”

He said one of the festival’s highlights would be Arka Kinari.

“Radical musician Filistine from Seattle and his partner Nova from Indonesia have commandeered a ship and they’re sailing around the world and doing performances. That will be down on the waterfront,” he said.

“We’re actually in an embarrassment-of-riches type situation.”

For more information about this year’s Mona Foma, and to book, visit www.monafoma.net.au

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