Muse March 2, 2010
I wrote this for a class, just deciding to post it here for...whatever. lol. I'm gonna include some pics too since this is LJ and I can!
On March 2, 2010, British import Muse took the stage on a damp, chilly evening at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and rocked the rain off the arena. Opening act, The Silversun Pickups, did well to hold the audience’s attention with their radio success “Panic Switch” and “Substitution” but the show really kicked off once the lights went down again and the three large pillars covered by a sheet in the middle of the stage lit up. The projection showed silhouettes walking up flights of stairs, before the silhouettes began a free fall down the stairs. The sheet finally fell after what seemed like an eternity and the band began their hour and forty minute long set with their smash single ‘Uprising’.
Each member stood in the middle of three retractable LED lit pillars with singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy on the left, drummer Dominic Howard in the middle and bassist Chris Wolstenholme on the right. Front man Bellamy was decked out in a shiny silver suit and shades as he belted out the power anthem flawlessly, quickly followed by their second American smash, “Resistance”. Bellamy even provided his own laser show, shining a mirror into the crowd, piercing eyes with the electric green lasers.
The pit was full of male and female Muse fans mostly 18 to 30, piled in front of the stage, with the rest of audience surrounding the stage in the seats to complete a 360 degree stage setup. The band tried their best throughout the show to play to every corner. Bellamy’s microphone stand was on a hinge and he could move it to face any area he desired, as well as Wolsenholme who moseyed around the stage throughout the set. The crowd was second only to the band, who made it almost impossible to tear your eyes away from the entertaining show they were providing.
The LED pillars acted as video monitors for the whole arena to see the members clearly and were the most innovative idea in the show and incorporated close ups of each member on his respective pillar but also played video clips and montages during each number. While it looked precarious for the performers to stand in the middle of the pillars at their highest, the lights and videos were engrossing so each member of the audience felt involved . Front the ground level, because of the lights, the pillars and the interaction from the band, the show that filled the cavernous arena almost felt intimate at times, especially when the audience was encouraged to sing and clap along.
The band played a few of their older hits, like “Plug in Baby”, and most songs from their current chart topping record Resistance. The British trio played a few songs from Black Holes and Revelations such as “Starlight” and “Super Massive Black Hole”, and from Absolution, they rocked with “Hysteria”. The set list was tailored for their brand new American audience, a list which varies slightly depending on the region they are in, and a choice that can leave behind any of the long time, hardcore Muse fans, as the band barely skimmed the surface of their vast catalog.
Bellamy and Wolstenholme came down to stage level to play the middle of their set, with the bassist standing still, occasionally switching sides with Bellamy but always keeping a steady rhythm. Bellamy was a firecracker dancing and rocking across the stage, running from side to side on the stage high rises and giving the fans behind the stage an opportunity to feel involved. The lead singer is a powerhouse, playing his gut wrenching riffs with ease, rocking out on his baby grand piano and singing impeccably, an unrivaled voice in almost any genre of music.
During their more popular songs, Bellamy encouraged audience participation and let the crowd sing for him, a unifying moment for an arena packed full of all different types of people from all over the tri-state area. The boys ended their riffs from “Plug in Baby” during a short interlude that involved tossing huge balloon eyeballs from the high rafters that littered red confetti, which fell down like drops of blood, all over the pit area when popped.
Wolstenholme and drummer Howard, who was hidden behind in large kit for the majority of the show, had their time in the spotlight during breakdown which has been dubbed the “Helsinki Jam” due to the place the song originated. The song is a two minute drum and bass tune that they performed on the middle pillar which revolved around to interact with the stage design and it also slowly rose up and back down again, reaching the floor level once more to lead into “Undisclosed Desires”.
The band didn’t spend too much time speaking with their audience, just to say the occasional, “Thank you, Philly!” but this fact didn’t detract from the set. On the whole, the show was proof positive that Muse is a band that works with each other and genuinely cares about putting on a great show for their many adoring fans.
The performance from Bellamy may have left some wondering if he really is a modern day messiah, each song sounded impeccable as his voice was pitch perfect throughout his high falsettos and powerful belts. Howard never missed a beat from behind his Drum Workshop kit, proving to be the backbone of each song and motivator of the crowd’s thrilling energy.
The concert to many audiences all over the world would be considered a mile stone in their concert going lives because Muse is a testament to all that is good, talented and stable in popular rock music; the band has been performing together for over fifteen years and shows no signs of taking a break now. Their flawless live renditions of their songs are untouchable even by bands that have been around twice as long. A Muse show is a transport into the music realm of a band soon to be considered worldwide rock idols and without any doubt, a title they would deserve.
On March 2, 2010, British import Muse took the stage on a damp, chilly evening at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and rocked the rain off the arena. Opening act, The Silversun Pickups, did well to hold the audience’s attention with their radio success “Panic Switch” and “Substitution” but the show really kicked off once the lights went down again and the three large pillars covered by a sheet in the middle of the stage lit up. The projection showed silhouettes walking up flights of stairs, before the silhouettes began a free fall down the stairs. The sheet finally fell after what seemed like an eternity and the band began their hour and forty minute long set with their smash single ‘Uprising’.
Each member stood in the middle of three retractable LED lit pillars with singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy on the left, drummer Dominic Howard in the middle and bassist Chris Wolstenholme on the right. Front man Bellamy was decked out in a shiny silver suit and shades as he belted out the power anthem flawlessly, quickly followed by their second American smash, “Resistance”. Bellamy even provided his own laser show, shining a mirror into the crowd, piercing eyes with the electric green lasers.
The pit was full of male and female Muse fans mostly 18 to 30, piled in front of the stage, with the rest of audience surrounding the stage in the seats to complete a 360 degree stage setup. The band tried their best throughout the show to play to every corner. Bellamy’s microphone stand was on a hinge and he could move it to face any area he desired, as well as Wolsenholme who moseyed around the stage throughout the set. The crowd was second only to the band, who made it almost impossible to tear your eyes away from the entertaining show they were providing.
The LED pillars acted as video monitors for the whole arena to see the members clearly and were the most innovative idea in the show and incorporated close ups of each member on his respective pillar but also played video clips and montages during each number. While it looked precarious for the performers to stand in the middle of the pillars at their highest, the lights and videos were engrossing so each member of the audience felt involved . Front the ground level, because of the lights, the pillars and the interaction from the band, the show that filled the cavernous arena almost felt intimate at times, especially when the audience was encouraged to sing and clap along.
The band played a few of their older hits, like “Plug in Baby”, and most songs from their current chart topping record Resistance. The British trio played a few songs from Black Holes and Revelations such as “Starlight” and “Super Massive Black Hole”, and from Absolution, they rocked with “Hysteria”. The set list was tailored for their brand new American audience, a list which varies slightly depending on the region they are in, and a choice that can leave behind any of the long time, hardcore Muse fans, as the band barely skimmed the surface of their vast catalog.
Bellamy and Wolstenholme came down to stage level to play the middle of their set, with the bassist standing still, occasionally switching sides with Bellamy but always keeping a steady rhythm. Bellamy was a firecracker dancing and rocking across the stage, running from side to side on the stage high rises and giving the fans behind the stage an opportunity to feel involved. The lead singer is a powerhouse, playing his gut wrenching riffs with ease, rocking out on his baby grand piano and singing impeccably, an unrivaled voice in almost any genre of music.
During their more popular songs, Bellamy encouraged audience participation and let the crowd sing for him, a unifying moment for an arena packed full of all different types of people from all over the tri-state area. The boys ended their riffs from “Plug in Baby” during a short interlude that involved tossing huge balloon eyeballs from the high rafters that littered red confetti, which fell down like drops of blood, all over the pit area when popped.
Wolstenholme and drummer Howard, who was hidden behind in large kit for the majority of the show, had their time in the spotlight during breakdown which has been dubbed the “Helsinki Jam” due to the place the song originated. The song is a two minute drum and bass tune that they performed on the middle pillar which revolved around to interact with the stage design and it also slowly rose up and back down again, reaching the floor level once more to lead into “Undisclosed Desires”.
The band didn’t spend too much time speaking with their audience, just to say the occasional, “Thank you, Philly!” but this fact didn’t detract from the set. On the whole, the show was proof positive that Muse is a band that works with each other and genuinely cares about putting on a great show for their many adoring fans.
The performance from Bellamy may have left some wondering if he really is a modern day messiah, each song sounded impeccable as his voice was pitch perfect throughout his high falsettos and powerful belts. Howard never missed a beat from behind his Drum Workshop kit, proving to be the backbone of each song and motivator of the crowd’s thrilling energy.
The concert to many audiences all over the world would be considered a mile stone in their concert going lives because Muse is a testament to all that is good, talented and stable in popular rock music; the band has been performing together for over fifteen years and shows no signs of taking a break now. Their flawless live renditions of their songs are untouchable even by bands that have been around twice as long. A Muse show is a transport into the music realm of a band soon to be considered worldwide rock idols and without any doubt, a title they would deserve.
