The true measure of a band is their live show. Can they perform outside of the studio? On April 10, the band Muse answered this question with a resounding “Yes!”
Muse sold out two nights at the Inglewood Forum earlier this month, and rose to the occasion. They put on a high-energy show that had fans singing and moving for hours.
When the lights went down, people on the event floor surged forward, pressing closer to the stage and the three young men upon it. Frontman Matthew Bellamy played the piano and nine different guitars, and sang his heart out.
Muse’s music is an interesting blend of alternative-rock-techno, filled with tales of aliens, conspiracy theories and politics. They’re often compared to Radiohead, Metallica and the Smashing Pumpkins. Bellamy’s voice is at times reminiscent of Queen’s Freddy Mercury, another interesting twist.
When putting on a show, Muse lets the music speak for itself. There were screens with some interesting visualizations, including scenes with images of robots, a person running, stars, smoke plumes shooting out from the front of the stage during two songs, and tissue paper confetti raining down shortly after. During the last song before the encores, eight giant balloons filled with the same confetti came flying out from behind the stage.
More important than what the eye could see was what the body could feel, which were vibrations coming up through the floor and through the air, as the music was so loud and powerful. On the floor, where the audience is really up close and personal not just with the band but with the speakers, one guy kept his hands over his ears throughout, still moving to the music.
Another amazing experience that you simply cannot get from listening to the album is when thousands of people around you sing along. They swayed, jumped and pumped their fists in the air. Bellamy stopped singing at one point, and just let the audience run with it.
In addition to singing along, the crowd would shout and clap in between songs. When the band left the stage, the crowd began chanting “Muse! Muse!” until finally the band returned for not one but two encores. The stadium seating intensified the feeling of movement.
The group played their most popular hits, in addition to songs that U.S. fans may have never heard. Their two most recent albums were released in America, but their first three albums were only released in the U.K.
Bellamy wore a red and white tracksuit, but soon came to his senses and tossed the jacket in favor of a black T-shirt with a gold, Asian design on it. His bandmates stuck to black, the bassist in a tie, the drummer in blue jeans and a black button-down shirt.
Muse has not toured much in the U.S., but if this show is any indication, they will definitely be back.
