When it comes to a five star rock concert, look no further than Muse. Their tour for their latest album, Drones, is proof that things get better with age. Muse has matured throughout their musical career to become one of the most consistently enjoyable rock performers of today.
The British trio delivered not just musically but through showmanship in the performance as a whole. Before the band had entered, men dressed like drones (robots) came onstage with glowing blue eyes and masks, giving the audience a taste of things to come. At the same time, plastic pods floated down from the ceiling and circled around the arena.
When the band came onstage, the audience, which had been quiet since opening act X Ambassadors had finished their set, suddenly came alive. To see the timelessness of Muse, one only needed look at the large spectrum of ages in the audience. Although they may be more of a “boys club”-style band, attracting people like the group of drunken forty year old men next to me, there were also lots of younger people, groups of women, and even a father with his young son.
The whole vibe of the show was futuristic from the sleek, black, military-esque outfits of the band members to the flashing red and blue lights and screens in the middle of the stage projecting images of robots. Muse strutted up and down the round stage, which was placed in the middle of the audience. This made for a very inclusive experience, and it felt like the band connected with the crowd, especially when one of their most famous songs, “Supermassive Black Hole,” came on, and the listeners went crazy. They performed even this older hit flawlessly, and got everyone up and dancing.
It was clear that the show was all about the music, with Bellamy only speaking a few times to the crowd in between long stretches of song after song sung in his incredible falsetto voice. Muse’s “cool factor” was evident in this show. From the clearly political message of “Drones” to the band’s all black wardrobe, their performance was sleek and relevant. There were also fun moments, like the giant balloons that fell from the ceiling that Chris Wolstenholme popped with his bass, releasing giant confetti into the audience.
All in all, anyone who has the opportunity to see Muse perform live should do so. Their rock music may not be for everyone, but their show is. Not only were Muse flawless vocally and instrumentally, they made the audience feel included and excited to be there, which is all one could ever want from a concert.
